Young barista, 20, suddenly dies in her sleep just after complaining of a stomach bug - not showing any signs of the disease that killed her
- Amelia Clayton complained of a stomach bug and two days later passed away
- The 20-year-old barista from Kalgoorlie, WA was remembered as 'unique'
- Ms Clayton had caught meningococcal but did not have the associated rash
A 20-year-old barista who suddenly died after complaining of a stomach bug has left behind a devastated family.
Amelia Clayton, who was working in Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, thought she had a case of gastro on February 1 after she developed body aches and started vomiting.
She had no rash and it wasn't until she tragically died in her bed two days later that it was revealed she had meningococcal disease.
Amelia Clayton, who was working in Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, thought she had a case of gastro on February 1 after she developed body aches and started vomiting
'Amelia was unique, quirky and loved the outdoors,' her mother Geri Bennett told The West Australian.
Ms Clayton is the first person to succumb to meningicoccal this year in Western Australia after 26-year-old accountant Ashleigh Hunter died of the disease in Perth two months ago.
Ms Clayton said she was feeling a little better on Sunday February 2 and declined when her grandmother, Helen Clayton, offered to call her an ambulance.
She went to bed that night at never woke up. She was discovered by her grandmother the next morning.
'It was quite a shock because I found her at five in the morning. I went to put a blanket over her and at that stage I realised she was gone,' Ms Clayton said.
Ms Clayton said her granddaughter was immunised against the B strain of meningicoccal but not the W strain which proved fatal.
Ms Clayton had no rash and it wasn't until she tragically died in her bed two days later that it was revealed she had a case of meningococcal
A family friend of Amelia has set up a GoFundMe page to help the family cover expenses.
More than 95 people have donated to the fundraising campaign as of Wednesday.
'Amelia Clayton a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, and a friend to so many suddenly passed away,' Emma McNamara wrote.
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'Her family are wanting to take Amelia home to NZ to give her the sendoff she deserves unfortunately this isn't cheap, so I have created this page to help Geri get her beautiful daughter home.'
Vaccines for the virus are available in three types - for meningococcal B, for meninigococcal C, and for meninigococcal A, C, W, and Y serogroups.
In Australia, babies at 12 months of age and school children from 14 to 16-years-old can get the A, C, W, and Y vaccine for free under the National Immunisation Program.
'Amelia Clayton a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, and a friend to so many suddenly passed away' Emma McNamara wrote on GoFundMe
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