A woman sent a heart emoji to her daughter days before being found dead in her bed.
Maxine Browne sent the heart to her daughter Taniqa in what was her last ever message, StokeonTrentLive reports. The alarm was raised to police after her family then didn't hear from her in three days.
The 54-year-old was tragically found dead at her home in Smallthorne on December 10 after officers smashed their way in. Maxine's family are still waiting to find out what caused her death.
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Taniqa, 28, said her mum had 'ailments' but that she was 'not ill enough to die'. "When I knew that the police were smashing the door down, I knew then that she’d gone", she said.
"She was peacefully asleep in bed. No struggle, no sign of her knowing, no sign of anything. The last time she spoke she was absolutely fine. My sister was already on the way.
"When she arrived, she could hear me in hysterics, it was confirmed before she’d gone upstairs. The smell was the same as our mum’s mum, when she passed away.
"The eerie feeling, the dread, was just confirmed. We were both with each other, we could console each other. We’ve got a lot to find out about how she was. She had ailments but she wasn’t ill enough to die.
"They were just little ailments and she was getting back on her feet. She’d prepared everything to go to work the next day. We can’t put anything to it.”
As well as her daughter Taniqa, Maxine also leaves behind her other daughter Terri-Anne - as well as grandchildren Harvey, 10, and Nevaeh, two. Maxine grew up in Abbey Hulton with five siblings and attended St Peter’s High School.
She cared for her mum Beryl Browne before working with Changes, Hope Street Homeless Centre, Guardian Care, the Salvation Army, and Brighter Futures to help people fighting addictions, homelessness and mental health issues.
Taniqa said: "My mum had very good relationships with the people of Stoke-on-Trent. She was a character, she had an infectious laugh.
"The main thing that people will remember her by is that she called everybody ‘Pij’. She was very straight up, she wouldn’t take no rubbish and you always knew where you stood with her.
"Imagine dealing with people with a vulnerable background. You have to have a certain way about you to have people accept that help. She was able to relate to all of these people in her own special way."
She added: “Music and her grandkids is what she lived for. My son is an aspiring rapper. She had attended every single one of his performances, she’s been his biggest fan.
“It has been eye-opening since she’s passed. People are reaching out and saying where they remember her from, memories that we didn’t know.
"She definitely loved to dance and was in the party scene. Golden was the last place she went to, the old school people used to go to Golden, she was going even to her end. She was extremely bubbly, her presence was always known, you don’t meet her then forget meeting her.
"When she was laughing, she’d slap you on the arm, she’d make you feel relaxed. She was the bread and butter of the whole family. She is just unlike any other."
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