Heather Wardle killed herself because she could no longer cope with hiding son James Hughes' death, friends claimed last night.
The tormented 39-year-old stuffed his body into a suitcase and dumped it in her garden after he died of an epileptic fit.
She then covered up the tragic truth for four months, telling relatives severely disabled James, 21, had gone away for respite care.
But when she realised her secret was about to be rumbled, the guilt-ridden - mum-of-four hanged herself from a tree in remote woodland.
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Neighbour Jake Bass, best friend of James's step-dad Brian Kirby, 36, said: "James had an epileptic fit and died as a result. Heather panicked and spirited him away. She hid his body.
"She couldn't handle what had happened. Then she killed herself."
The truth of James's death emerged after his dad Paul Hughes, 42, had called round to wish him a happy 22nd birthday last weekend. He was told his son was still being looked after.
His suspicions aroused, he later phoned the care centre who told him they had not seen James for four months.
Jake added: "Matters came to a head on James's birthday.
"Paul confronted Heather and told her he was calling the police.
"Heather realised the game was up and went out and hanged herself.
"It is an absolute tragedy. If only she could have brought herself to tell someone when James died, but she couldn't. Why she had to cover up his death, we will never know."
James's decomposing body was found on Wednesday at the home he shared with his mum and Brian in Redditch, Worcs.
He had to be identified by dental records. A postmortem failed to establish a cause of death.
Distraught Heather even opened the suitcase twice in the weeks following his death to look at the remains of her son, forensic experts said.
Consumed by grief, Heather hanged herself less than half a mile away from the family home.
Brian and a youth were arrested on suspicion of murdering James but released without charge. Jake said: "I knew all along Brian would be released.
"He hasn't a bad bone in his body. He would never have had a hand in James's death and he would never have helped cover it up."
Jake, who went to school with Brian, told how the couple had suffered problems in their 16-year relationship recently.
He said: "Heather had been under massive strain. There was no one else, just general friction.
"There was the pressure of looking after James and the rest of her family. Finding him dead had to be the final straw.
"She would have blamed herself for not looking after him enough."
Police refused to comment on the epileptic fit claim.
Superintendent Jane Horwood insisted: "It is still not known how and when James died. We are awaiting further results.
"These are likely to take some weeks. There are many unanswered questions."
DAD'S TRIBUTE
'Myself and my family would like to take this opportunity at this most shattering of times to pay tribute to our beloved James.
My son was the most beautiful of Mother Earth's creations that I have had the privilege to meet. His aura of happiness and mischief was plain for all to see.
He taught us that the strong should look after the weak and so much about what was important and what was not important in life.
He was a happy-go-lucky soul and always had a smile on his face. He brought out the best in people he met, which is why I think it's affected so many people the way it has.
I have had calls from people I haven't seen for 15 years who remembered meeting James.
Although he was 22 James retained the innocence of childhood and he was very, very precious.
He was irreplaceable and it's left a massive hole in my life.'
The tormented 39-year-old stuffed his body into a suitcase and dumped it in her garden after he died of an epileptic fit.
She then covered up the tragic truth for four months, telling relatives severely disabled James, 21, had gone away for respite care.
But when she realised her secret was about to be rumbled, the guilt-ridden - mum-of-four hanged herself from a tree in remote woodland.
Advertisement
Neighbour Jake Bass, best friend of James's step-dad Brian Kirby, 36, said: "James had an epileptic fit and died as a result. Heather panicked and spirited him away. She hid his body.
"She couldn't handle what had happened. Then she killed herself."
The truth of James's death emerged after his dad Paul Hughes, 42, had called round to wish him a happy 22nd birthday last weekend. He was told his son was still being looked after.
His suspicions aroused, he later phoned the care centre who told him they had not seen James for four months.
Jake added: "Matters came to a head on James's birthday.
"Paul confronted Heather and told her he was calling the police.
"Heather realised the game was up and went out and hanged herself.
"It is an absolute tragedy. If only she could have brought herself to tell someone when James died, but she couldn't. Why she had to cover up his death, we will never know."
James's decomposing body was found on Wednesday at the home he shared with his mum and Brian in Redditch, Worcs.
He had to be identified by dental records. A postmortem failed to establish a cause of death.
Distraught Heather even opened the suitcase twice in the weeks following his death to look at the remains of her son, forensic experts said.
Consumed by grief, Heather hanged herself less than half a mile away from the family home.
Brian and a youth were arrested on suspicion of murdering James but released without charge. Jake said: "I knew all along Brian would be released.
"He hasn't a bad bone in his body. He would never have had a hand in James's death and he would never have helped cover it up."
Jake, who went to school with Brian, told how the couple had suffered problems in their 16-year relationship recently.
He said: "Heather had been under massive strain. There was no one else, just general friction.
"There was the pressure of looking after James and the rest of her family. Finding him dead had to be the final straw.
"She would have blamed herself for not looking after him enough."
Police refused to comment on the epileptic fit claim.
Superintendent Jane Horwood insisted: "It is still not known how and when James died. We are awaiting further results.
"These are likely to take some weeks. There are many unanswered questions."
DAD'S TRIBUTE
'Myself and my family would like to take this opportunity at this most shattering of times to pay tribute to our beloved James.
My son was the most beautiful of Mother Earth's creations that I have had the privilege to meet. His aura of happiness and mischief was plain for all to see.
He taught us that the strong should look after the weak and so much about what was important and what was not important in life.
He was a happy-go-lucky soul and always had a smile on his face. He brought out the best in people he met, which is why I think it's affected so many people the way it has.
I have had calls from people I haven't seen for 15 years who remembered meeting James.
Although he was 22 James retained the innocence of childhood and he was very, very precious.
He was irreplaceable and it's left a massive hole in my life.'
You know what I'd do? I'd call somebody. If he died of an epileptic fit then why would you hide the body? It's not like it's your fault. The woman was obviously a mentalist. It's either some Norman Bates shit, or he ddin't die that way and the papers havwe reported it wrong.