Police knocked on the door of a grieving West Lothian mum and claimed to have her drunk son behind their van - 15 months after her personal son died.
Tracey Hadlow misplaced her 20-year-old son Nathan after an unintentional overdose in April 2021. He had taken road Valium, cocaine and methadone.
The 53-year-old from Deans, Livingston, mentioned she was left distressed on July 3 this 12 months, after answering the door to 2 cops who introduced an ‘intoxicated’ stranger to her home, claiming he was her useless baby.
She instructed the Every day File she felt like she was reliving the second officers chapped her door on the evening Nathan died.
The mum-of-three mentioned: “After I give it some thought now, I need to cry. It was terrible. When Nathan died, police got here to the home late at evening to inform me they'd discovered his physique. I felt like I used to be reliving that nightmare over again.”
Tracy mentioned she was awoken by cops banging on her door at 3.45am to inform her they'd her son - earlier than the officers realised they have been on the unsuitable home.
The NHS Scientific Assist employee added: “The officer instructed me my boy was within the van. My boy is useless and my different son was sitting in the lounge.
“After I instructed the officer the scenario, he simply stared at me with a vacant look. He clearly knew then that he had made a mistake, however he wasn’t fast to apologise.”
Tracy has spent the final 12 months mourning the sudden lack of her boy and mentioned having police again at her home introduced again an abundance of feelings she has been desperately attempting to deal with.
She defined: “It was a distressing scenario which introduced again all of the feelings I felt after I discovered my boy died final 12 months. It was not okay. I felt extraordinarily heartbroken over again.
“How might the police make such a horrific mistake?
“They may have taken him to any home, however it was mine they got here to. I’m simply so offended and upset at them for placing me by means of this.”
She has beforehand mentioned she believes Nathan might be alive right this moment if Scotland’s drug legal guidelines had modified a 12 months earlier, claiming he by no means obtained any assist or help for his habit points.
She mentioned: “I firmly imagine that if Nathan bought the assistance he wanted from the proper professionals he might be right here right this moment.”
She mentioned she was shocked to search out out the quantity of people that died from drug misuse in Scotland final 12 months had fallen by only one p.c and mentioned extra must be executed to fight the main challenge.
A Police Scotland spokesperson mentioned: “ A Police Scotland spokesperson mentioned: “Whereas coping with a priority for an individual incident, officers attended an incorrect handle on Harburn Avenue, Livingston at 4am on Sunday, 3 July, 2022.
“We acknowledge the upset that this precipitated to the householder and officers have apologised in particular person.”
Do not miss the newest information from the West Lothian Courier. Signal as much as our free publication right here