A cause of death has been revealed for 26-year-old U.K. woman Tia-Mae McCarthy, who struggled to eat normally as a child and relied on a feeding tube.
Tia-Mae McCarthy died of aspiration, which she was at a higher risk for because of her past surgery, the Coroner’s Court for Dorset confirmed to PEOPLE. Her body was found at home on April 28.
As a child, McCarthy was featured in the documentary The Girl Who Never Ate. She was born 12 weeks early with a congenital disorder called Long-gap Esophageal Atresia, which meant her esophagus and stomach were not connected.
The condition required surgery, which she had when she was 4 months old. After the surgery, McCarthy still could not eat for several years and had to rely on a feeding tube. Doctors believed her difficulties were psychological rather than physical.
When she was 7, her mother took her to a clinic in Austria. She participated in a three-week program and was able to drink liquids by the time she left. A few years later, around age 10, she started eating solid food, and by 15 she was on a normal diet. Her feeding tube was removed, according to The Telegraph.
“Her mindset was a lot younger than her physical age, so she couldn’t live independently or have a job, but she had a very full life,” her younger brother, Fin, told The Telegraph. “She loved horse riding and was really into arts and crafts.”
Fin described Tia-Mae’s death as “a real shock” and said she “put a smile on everybody’s faces” and “brightened every room she entered.”
“To lose her so unexpectedly has been incredibly difficult for all who loved her,” he added.
