‘My daughter died alone in a McDonald’s rest room and was discovered six hours later’
Michaela Sharp was tragically found dead in a McDonald’s toilet having lay there for six hours before she was found. Her heartbroken mum says it will haunt her forever
A mum has told how she will be “haunted forever” after her daughter’s body lay undiscovered in the toilet of a McDonald’s for six hours. Michaela Sharp, 32, was tragically found dead in the early hours of June 14 in a restaurant in Edinburgh.
Heartbroken mum Aurora Light, 52, said police officers told her CCTV footage showed Michaela entering the toilet at about 9pm the previous evening, but the door was not opened until nearly 3am the following morning.
Emergency crews were scrambled to to the scene, but sadly Michaela could not be saved. Aurora said her cause of death was unclear, however she was known to have suffered from health issues including seizures.
Aurora, from Bo’ness, near Falkirk, said it was “unthinkable” her daughter was left to die alone. She said: “If someone had just found her in the first half an hour and called an ambulance she might still be here today.
“If only someone had checked, someone could have saved my little girl. It’s the what if’s that will haunt me forever. Just the thought of your child being left cold like that in the toilets for six hours is unthinkable.
“Knowing the restaurant was open with people around breaks my heart. By the time the ambulance got there, there was nothing they could do.”
Aurora said she had been staying with her mother when police arrived to deliver the news. She added: “All I could hear was her sobbing and saying, ‘it can’t be true. Is she really gone?’ I couldn’t understand what had happened.”
The branch, in South St Andrew Street, is one of the busiest in the Scottish capital and is particularly popular among revellers heading home from nights out.
McDonald’s said it had assisted Police Scotland in its investigation. A spokesperson said: “We offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends following this tragic event in June.
“Our restaurant team worked closely with Police Scotland to assist at the time of their investigation and will continue to support if required. We have offered support to any of our restaurant team who have been affected.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 2.55am on Saturday, June 14, 2025, we were called to a report of a woman having taken unwell in the South St Andrew Street area of Edinburgh.
“Emergency services attended and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. There are no suspicious circumstances.”
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