Trainee primary school teacher dubbed the 'perfect daughter' dies in her sleep from undiagnosed heart condition aged just 19

A trainee teacher died in her sleep from a rare heart condition aged only 19 despite appearing to have no health problems.
A coroner described Charlotte Mayes as the ‘perfect daughter’, as she did not smoke, drank little alcohol and was anti-drugs.
She had returned from travelling in Turkey with her best friend only days before being found lifeless on the sofa by her brother Ian.
He called 999 and desperately tried to resuscitate her but it was too late.
In the year before her death, the only signs of a potential problem were bouts of lethargy.
Her mother Michelle Roberts told an inquest: ‘She had been really, really tired, so she slept lots.
‘I did tell her to go to the doctor, but she didn’t.
‘As soon as she came home, she would sleep on the sofa.’
Mrs Roberts, who remarried after Charlotte’s father Ian died in 1994, was on holiday in Egypt with her husband Paul when Charlotte died last September.
‘I returned home and was told that she had died a few hours earlier,’  she told coroner Alan Walsh at the  hearing in Bolton.
Her friend Nikita Lee said Charlotte, known as Lottie, had been ‘sleeping lots, especially near the end of the holiday’, added Mrs Roberts, of Hindley, near Wigan.
She said: 'She had been really, really tired, so she slept lots. I did tell her to go to the doctors, but she didn't. As soon as she came home, she would sleep on the sofa.
'We hadn't seen her - Charlotte was due back three days after we left for Egypt. She was still in Turkey and had been there since June. She went away with her friend Nikita. She did say about her sleeping lots, especially near the end of the holiday.
'I was really ill in Egypt that morning, as if I knew something bad had happened.'
Deputy Coroner Walsh continued, reading from Mrs Robert's statement: 'And your daughter didn't smoke, she was very anti-drugs and she was a light drinker. She was a perfect daughter.'
Her daughter had begun a degree in education at Liverpool Hope University five days before her death.
She had hoped to become a primary school teacher.
Mr Walsh said: ‘She was, in every sense, a perfect daughter.’
He added that she would have been ‘a perfect example’ to her future pupils.
The court heard Charlotte's brother Ian, had returned to the family address around 5.30am and Charlotte was still awake on the sofa.

Charlotte had been suffering from bouts of tiredness but had not gone to a doctor despite her mother's urging

Miss Mayes pictured with singer Aston from JLS. Her friend Nikita said she was the 'sweetest, fun, crazy, kind, forgiving, inspirational, cheerful girl'

His statement read: 'When I went inside, Charlotte was sat up in the living room. She was watching television and the lap top was turned on.'

THE HEART THICKENING CONDITION THAT DEVELOPS IN TEENAGERS

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a condition where the heart muscle becomes thickened.
Around one in 5,000 people have the condition, and it most commonly develops during the teenage years or young adulthood.
However, the symptoms vary depending on the severity. These include shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations, dizziness and fainting attacks - most commonly during exercise.
It can cause the heart muscle to become stiff, which means your left ventricle doesn't fill as easily as normal and less blood is then pumped out.
It can also partially obstruct blood flow, which can make small blood clots more likely.
In some people, the abnormal heart muscle affects the electrical conducting system of the heart. This may cause abnormal heart rates and rhythms to develop.
Sudden collapse and death occurs in a small number of people with HCM. This is probably due to a severe arrhythmia which may develop suddenly
Most cases are hereditary so screening of close family members is advised.

Ian woke up at 12.30pm and went into check on his sister, but she wasn't in her bed.
'She was lying on the sofa. I could tell she wasn't breathing and her skin was a different colour. I phoned my brother then I called an ambulance. They told me to carry out CPR but I knew it was too late.'
Charlotte was declared dead at 12.46pm that day. Dr Trisha Wahie, who carried out the post mortem examination, sent Charlotte's heart to pathologist Dr Suvarna, because she could not see any abnormalities with the naked eye. It was confirmed the promising teen had died from a heart condition - hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
In evidence, Dr Wahie sad it was very possible she had died peacefully in her sleep.
She added: 'It may be a spontaneous mutation or run within families. They can have no symptoms at all. This would have been a sudden, unexpected death without any great suffering.'
Recording a verdict of death by natural causes Mr Walsh said: 'This is a very sad and tragic death due to natural causes. Charlotte was on the verge of studying to fulfil her ambition of becoming a teacher.
'She was, in every sense, a perfect daughter. She didn't smoke, she drank little and she engaged with her family. She was someone who you would be proud to call your daughter.
'Although she had suffered from tiredness, I'm sure it didn't stop her enjoying herself in Turkey. At least, in that final stage she would have enjoyed her final time with her friend in Turkey.
'She was obviously a very well-liked person who intended to become a teacher. I believe that those children she would have taught will sadly miss the benefits of her knowledge and the benefits of her personality.
'She would have been a perfect example for those children.'
The hearing was told since Charlotte's death, family members have been scanned for heart abnormalities, but they have had no irregular results.
In a message on Facebook her friend Nikita said: 'I lost one of the most important things you will have in life and that was my best friend, the one who all my memories are with, she was the most beautiful, sweetest, fun, crazy, kind, forgiving, inspirational, cheerful girl you could ever meet.
'I love you so much Charlotte and I will never ever, ever, forget you, you are always in my heart. Sleep tight little princess.'

Miss Hayes died due to natural causes. The Deputy Coroner said 'this is a very sad and tragic death'

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