Daughter, 20, took her own life just days before mum's gender reveal party after struggling in lockdown

Leonie Baigan.  A mum paid tribute to her glamorous daughter who took her own life after struggling with mental health during the pandemic.  See SWNS story SWSCdeath.  Leonie Baigan, 20, took her own life last month, two days before a gender reveal party  to celebrate her mum's pregnancy, and was buzzing to become a big sister.  Mum-of-one Stacey Baigan, 40, said Leonie had sought help for mental health and had been signed off work from her job at a bank, but the family had no idea she was suicidal.  Leonie, from Edinburgh, had spoken to her GP about her mental health but had not indicated she was thinking of taking her own life, which she did on March 4.  She was laid to rest yesterday (April 14).  Stacey, who is six months pregnant, said mental health had become another pandemic in the course of lockdowns, and many young people were feeling isolated.
Leonie Baigan took her own life just two days before she was due to pop the balloon at her mum's gender reveal party. (SWNS) (Stacey Baigan / SWNS)

A grieving mum has paid tribute to her 20-year-old daughter who took her own life just two days before the gender reveal party for her new sister.

Leonie Baigan struggled with her mental health during the pandemic and had been signed off work from her job at a bank, but her mum said the family had no idea she was suicidal.

Her mum Stacey Baigan, 40, who is six months pregnant, said Leonie was due to pop the balloon at her gender reveal party just two days after she took her own life on March 4.

She said: "I've been planning a funeral when I should have been planning a 21st birthday.

"It was just so unexpected, we had been trying to get help for her mental health but never in a million years did I think this was going to happen."

Stacey Baigan (left) now wants to start a charity in her daughter's memory to help other young people suffering with mental health issues. (SWNS)
Stacey Baigan (left) now wants to start a charity in her daughter's memory to help other young people suffering with mental health issues. (SWNS) (Stacey Baigan / SWNS)

Baigan said her daughter, who lived in Edinburgh, had called NHS 24 on December 23 to ask for help and had been prescribed antidepressants the following day.

In February she was signed off work and given access to five private counselling sessions on the phone, but was so shy she couldn't phone a taxi herself or order a takeaway so missed all the phone calls.

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Her mum said she felt face-to-face support should be given to people in crisis - even during the COVID pandemic.

She said: "In the pandemic everything is done by phone, Leonie was so socially introverted she couldn't phone a taxi.

"She used to get her nails done at the same salon for about six years but she couldn't phone to make an appointment."

Leonie had sought help for mental health and had been signed off work from her job at a bank, but the family had no idea she was suicidal. (SWNS)
Leonie had sought help for mental health and had been signed off work from her job at a bank, but the family had no idea she was suicidal. (SWNS) (Stacey Baigan / SWNS)

She added: "For someone to speak to a complete stranger about their mental health on the phone, it is quite sensitive and personal.

"I know we're in a pandemic but why can't it be in a room 2 metres apart, you can get a filling done but there isn't enough face to face support for people in crisis."

In an effort to improve her mental health her mum said Leonie had come off social media for a month, upped her fitness levels and was buying and reading self-help books as well as writing a journal.

Stacey Baigan (left), who is six months pregnant, said mental health had become another pandemic in the course of lockdowns, and many young people were feeling isolated like her daughter Leonie (right). (SWNS)
Stacey Baigan (left), who is six months pregnant, said mental health had become another pandemic in the course of lockdowns, and many young people were feeling isolated like her daughter Leonie (right). (SWNS) (Stacey Baigan / SWNS)

On the day she died, Leonie had a 'down day' but Stacey said there was nothing unusual about it.

She said her daughter had friends, a boyfriend, a good job, and the tragedy showed mental health needed to be taken more seriously.

"She was making plans, I'm six months pregnant and Leonie was going to pop the balloon at a gender reveal party.

"She was so excited, she was more excited than us."

Baigan now plans to complete an Open University degree in Criminology and Psychology and wants to set up a charity, Leonie's Legacy, to help other young people facing mental health struggles.

She added: "It is an invisible illness, if you break an arm you can see it.

"I believe that talking about it is a good start, if not we are losing a population."

To donate visit https://uk.gofundme.com/f/rip-leonie?qid=ae73a638feb35329d9c09496f5cf60c6

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