Family pays tribute to 'beautiful, thoughtful, kind and funny' Northampton woman, aged 25

Tributes have been paid to a 'beautiful, thoughtful, kind and funny' daughter, sister and colleague from Northampton after she took her own life.

Ruby Gaughan, 25, died at The Racecourse on Wednesday, February 19, at around 9pm last year. The inquest into her death took place in Northampton town centre today (May 20).

The inquest heard how Miss Gaughan had a history of mental health struggles and would often find February a 'difficult' time as it was the anniversary of her grandfather's death, whom she was close to.

Clive Gaughan Miss Gaughan's father, said at the inquest: "Our Ruby was beautiful, thoughtful, kind and funny; a wonderful daughter and sister who brought so much joy to our lives.

"She always put others first and was a shining example to her friends, family and colleagues. We are so very proud of her and always will be.

"Ruby was part of a close family including her younger brother, who she had a very close bond with. She also had a strong relationship with her grandfather who lived in Northampton.

"Ruby enjoyed life to the full, she loved her job, going to gigs and attending Pride festivals. She was also devoted to her dogs Dolly and Erris.

"She had a great sense of humour and was kind and considerate and always happy to help others."

Mr Gaughan said his daughter had been working as a senior personal banker at the Natwest branch in the Drapery for five years and found the job 'rewarding'.

He said: "Ruby was proud of her job. She was secure at Natwest, where she had worked for five years as a senior personal banker. She was successful in her work and found helping customers hugely rewarding; she would always go that extra mile.

"She was recognised for her extra care and attention at work and received gifts from customers to say thank you; this meant so much to her. She would also receive letters from customers who spoke warmly of Ruby.

"Some customers attended her funeral; it was so heart-warming that she touched the lives of others."

Mr Gaughan addressed the issue of his daughter's mental health and explained how she had been feeling.

He said: "Ruby tried hard and as best as she could to manager her condition and health issues. Attending gym classes, walking her dogs and seeking support from professionals at difficult times.

"She often said to us, 'I am doing everything they [professionals] are telling me to do'.

"Ruby knew her family loved her unconditionally and was always there to support her 24/7.

"The death of her aunt and grandfather had a profound effect on her. Especially devastated with the death of her grandfather, who she spent a huge amount of time with and they shared the same sense of humour. She would often seek medical help around his anniversary (February 18)."

The family said they feel their daughter 'would still be with us today if just one of the medical professionals responded differently to her pleas for help'.

Mr Gaughan ended by saying: "She felt no-one cared. She was ticking all the boxes on their checklists but no-one was taking the time to look at her physical appearance.

"The way she killed herself emphasised to us how abandoned she felt."

Mr Gaughan said he hopes lessons can be learnt from this inquest to benefit families in the future.

Coroner Anne Pember said: "I'm truly sorry for your loss. She was only 25-years-old. Sadly, she suffered with mental health problems since 2013."

The coroner recorded a conclusion of suicide.

Wesley Dallow, local director at NatWest, also paid tribute to Miss Gaughan. He said: “Ruby was a very well-liked and important member of the team in NatWest Northampton Drapery, she was incredibly thoughtful, kind and always wanted to support and help her colleagues.

"She was very outgoing and would always want to attend or arrange social events for her friends and colleagues.

"As a senior personal banker, Ruby got a lot of satisfaction from building relationships with customers and over the years has made life changing differences to her customers’ financial circumstances. Ruby has been a great loss to colleagues and customers’ both as a friend and a NatWest bank employee.”

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, the Samaritans may be able to help – the charity’s helpline number is 116 123.