British woman, 40, and unborn daughter die in Nigeria; family seeks £10,000 to bring them home
- Claire Chadwick, 40, was 37 weeks pregnant when her baby died in the womb and she later died of septic shock.
- Her sister Shannon started a GoFundMe on October 30 seeking £10,000 to repatriate both bodies to the UK.
- The fundraiser has passed its target with more than 430 donations, according to reports.
A 40-year-old British woman and her unborn daughter have died in Nigeria, and her family is raising money to fly both bodies back to the United Kingdom for burial.
Claire Chadwick was 37 weeks pregnant and expecting a girl with her husband, Ibrahim, when the tragedy happened. Reports say the baby died in the womb, and Chadwick later developed sepsis and died of septic shock.
Sepsis is what happens when the body's response to an infection turns on its own tissues and organs. In its most severe form, septic shock, blood pressure falls dangerously and vital organs can be starved of blood.
Chadwick had moved from Cardiff in Wales to Nigeria to build a new life with her husband. The couple drew a following on TikTok and Instagram, where they posted about their relationship, their faith and food challenges.
Family appeals for help
Her sister, Shannon, opened a GoFundMe page titled "Bringing Claire home" on October 30, hoping to raise £10,000 to cover the cost of repatriation and the legal steps involved.
Shannon said the family's main wish was to have mother and baby buried near the people who loved them. "More than anything, we want them both returned so they can be laid to rest with dignity, surrounded by the family who love them," she wrote on the page.
By the time of reporting, the appeal had gone past its £10,000 goal, with more than 430 donations. Shannon called the response overwhelming and thanked REST, a charity that helps families when a relative dies suddenly or tragically abroad.
Chadwick is survived by her 19-year-old son, who lives in Wales, her husband and other relatives. Her sister remembered her as funny and fiercely strong-minded, a woman who lived life on her own terms and left a mark on everyone she met. Friends and acquaintances have also left tributes on the fundraising page, describing her as kind, caring and someone who made people laugh.
The UK Foreign Office was contacted for comment, according to the Daily Mail.
What happens next
The family is working through the paperwork and costs of bringing two bodies home, a process that can be slow and expensive for Nigerians and foreigners alike. The appeal has met its target, but the family says the priority remains a dignified burial in the UK.
