Three year old girl walked to school alone after waking to find mother dead
THE HEARTBROKEN family of a mother whose tiny daughter led police to her dead body have spoken of their grief after the toddler's ordeal.
Nicolla Rushton's family have spoken of their heartbreak
Nicolla Rushton's three-year-old daughter was making her own way to school after failing to wake her mum up.
The tot was spotted yards from her home in Burton-on-Trent by an off-duty community support officer and his wife. Noticing she was alone the pair approached the girl to help.
James Rushton, Nicolla's dad, has now revealed what the tiny toddler did that morning.
The Birmingham grandfather said she told officers: "I'm going to nursery because mummy is sleeping and she won't wake up."
The PCSO took the girl home where they found her mother's body in an upstairs room on January 6.
Police were called to the house by a PCSO who found the toddler
Nikki was a single mum and did everything for her daughter. She lived for her, protected her, and loved her more than anything in the world
Paying tribute to his daughter, Mr Rushton said: "Nikki was a single mum and did everything for her daughter."
"She lived for her, protected her, and loved her more than anything in the world.
"Now, my granddaughter has no mother but that won't stop family sharing memories of her mother with her."
Mr Rushton, who has launched a fundraising appeal for his granddaughter, said his granddaughter thought her mum was asleep.
He said: "She had got herself up and ready for nursery because she couldn't wake mummy.
Flowers have been left at the home of Nicolla Rushton
"Being the intelligent young girl that she is, she decided to make her way there alone.
"It was noticed that she had tried to make breakfast and she had also got herself ready for nursery.
"My poor granddaughter had endured some time with her mum like this before deciding to go to nursery. I have set up a fundraising campaign in memory of my daughter to raise money for my granddaughter's future.
"She is an extremely intelligent young girl and I am hoping this will give her the best future possible."
Nicolla Rushton's tiny daughter alerted police to her death
Police are not treating the death as suspicious
Police are not treating the death as suspicious.
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