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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
World
Lynn Love & David Kent

Mother left distressed after cops claim they have drunk son in van 15 months after he died

A grieving mother was left in tears after police knocked on her door claiming they had her son intoxicated in their van - 15 months after he died.

Tracey Hadlow lost her 20-year-old son Nathan after an accidental overdose in April of last year.

He had taken street Valium, cocaine and methadone - a polydrug cocktail - and died on a terrible spring night as a result

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The 53-year-old said she was left distressed last month after answering the door to two police officers who brought an 'intoxicated' stranger to her house, claiming he was her dead child.

Tracey Hadlow lost her 20-year-old son Nathan, here seen at aged 7, after an accidental overdose in April of last year. (Daily Record)

She told the Daily Record she felt like she was reliving the moment officers chapped her door on the night Nathan died.

The mum-of-three from Scotland said: "When I think about it now, I want to cry. It was awful. When Nathan died, police came to the house late at night to tell me they had found his body. I felt like I was reliving that nightmare all over again."

Tracy said she was awoken by cops banging on her door at 3.45am to tell her they had her son - before the officers realised they were at the wrong house.

The NHS Clinical Support worker added: "The officer told me my boy was in the van. My boy is dead and my other son was sitting in the living room.

Police tape hangs (stock image) (gettyimages.ie)

"When I told the officer the situation, he just stared at me with a vacant look. He obviously knew then that he had made a mistake, but he wasn't quick to apologise."

She explained: "It was a distressing situation which brought back all the emotions I felt when I found out my boy died last year. It was not okay. I felt extremely heartbroken all over again.

Police car (stock image) (gettyimages.ie)

"How could the police make such a horrific mistake?

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “While dealing with a concern for a person incident, officers attended an incorrect address on Harburn Avenue, Livingston at 4am on Sunday, 3 July, 2022.

“We acknowledge the upset that this caused to the householder and officers have apologised in person."

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