Devastation as husband finds detective mum-of-two, 31, dead at home

A dad-of-two returned home from work to find his wife had died in her sleep without warning. Dale Lockwood, 33, saw his childhood sweetheart Ruby, 31, lifeless in bed.

The primary school deputy headteacher made a desperate attempt to try and resuscitate her, but soon realised there was nothing he could do. After 10 months of searching for answers, Dale discovered his wife had a rare genetic heart condition called sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (Sads).

It causes sudden, unexpected death by cardiac arrest. Now, Dale faces the unknown over whether the couple's two young children - four-year-old Arthur and one-year-old Winifred - may also carry the gene.

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"It's horrendous and it wasn't expected," Dale said. "Ruby wasn't poorly, she had no symptoms, it was a total, utter shock out of the blue to the point where you still can't believe it. As well as losing your wife, the love of your life and the mother of your children, there's also the worry that it could happen to your children."

Dale, from Birstall in West Yorkshire, met Ruby at 17 while they were working behind the bar of their local Irish club. Dale recalls how "things happened quite naturally" and they "never looked back" as they started their relationship. They were married in 2019 and welcomed their two children Arthur and Winifred in 2020 and 2022.

"Everybody liked Ruby, she just had such a strong personality and persona, she would light up a room," Dale said. "She was a really vivacious character and just so full of life, she was fantastic at her job and she was an amazing mum and wife."

On October 10 last year, West