THE mother of vulnerable man killed in an unprovoked 2018 attack "died when they took her baby", her grieving family said yesterday as they made arrangements for her funeral.
Marie Magee (57) died of a suspected heart attack at Downe Hospital in Downpatrick on Saturday where she had been cared for since December.
Her daughters Francine and Stacey Fox said she never recovered from the brutal killing of her son 29-year-old Padraig.
She gave a poignant interview from her hospital bed last month calling for tougher sentences to be imposed when someone loses their life.
In January Donach Rice (22), from Kilkeel Road, Annalong was sentenced to three years in prison after admitting the manslaughter of Mr Fox.
The court heard after administering the fatal blow Rice created a "false self-defence scenario" then cashed a £7.60 betting slip belonging to the dead man.
Francine Fox said Mrs Magee, from Seaforde who is also survived by her son Sean, had been horrified when Padraig's killer "turned to mummy and he laughed and he smiled".
"There was no remorse. We would have tried to understand if he had shown remorse, but he didn't care."
Stacey Fox said her mother "died of a broken heart".
The family saw Mrs Magee's health decline after the death of her son, who had mental health and addiction issues.
"She died when they took Padraig, when they took her baby. She may have still been here in body, but she wasn't herself any more. She didn't have any fire in her. Her heart unfortunately just gave up," Francine said.
"That is one comfort to us. We know she's with her son, with her baby where she wanted to be. That is the only comfort we can take.
"We are all devastated. We are just over my brother's first anniversary and it's all taking its toll."
Her mother was being treated for the lung disease COPD, but got out of hospital for three weeks around Christmas to spend time with her family.
"We called round to her. I think she was trying to put on a brave face for the grandchildren. They're what she held on for. I have four children with special needs and having to try to break the news to them in a way that they understand is so hard.
"My eldest daughter is completely broken. She was very close to her Nanny and would have gone on holiday with her. During the summer she was with her so much I would be ringing up to say `Can I have my daughter back?'"
Mrs Magee had been diagnosed as suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder connected to her loss and had been moved into the mental health inpatient unit, but was "much brighter" and expecting to be discharged to attend a granddaughter's first communion when she died.
"Before Padraig died she was always outgoing, happy, bubbly and everybody knew her. She was always out doing stuff.
"She was still young and was not even four years married to her first love."
