A mum found dead at home by her five-year-old son was "broken" by the coronavirus lockdown, her devastated brother says.
Katie Simms, 32, was unresponsive when her son Archie discovered her body in the living room of their home in Kettering, Northamptonshire.
She had been "struggling" for years after her older brother, Army veteran Barry Gunn, died after attempting to take his own life in 2015, their sibling David Simms told NorthantsLive.
Ms Simms "shut herself away" after Mr Gunn's death, finding it difficult to leave the house, and the lockdown "broke her" because it meant she couldn't visit her mum and dad, who is battling bowel cancer.
David, 40, said: "We couldn't help her as best we could, it feels like we've failed."
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Her death on September 28 is not being treated as suspicious, said Northamptonshire Police.
Ms Simms' brother David, 40, said: "She was very stubborn, but she was quite outgoing, loved going out to socialise.
"But since my brother passed she shut herself away and she ended up getting a bit of a phobia of not really going outside.
"And I think Covid broke her to be honest.
"She couldn't get to visit my mom, because she's got breathing difficulties so couldn't leave the house to visit.
"My dad was diagnosed with bowel cancer, he's now got a tumour so can't travel, so lockdown has basically broke us all."
Mr Simms, who is in the Army, said he broke down when he was told that his sister was dead.
He added: "I was comforted by my management, they put things in place to allow me to go home on compassionate leave.
"I don't think it's sunk in with me, I'm quite a hard-headed person."
Their brother Mr Gunn served in the Army with The Royal Anglian Regiment.
He suffered from PTSD after a tour in the African nation of Sierra Leone, and attempted to take his own life, said Mr Simms.
Mr Gunn, 40, later died in hospital.
Mr Simms, who lives in Coalville, Leicestershire, said: "Back in 2015 my brother, who served in the Royal Anglian's, he suffered from PTSD after he returned from Sierra Leone.
"He was quite troubled with that, he tried to take his own life by taking an overdose, he then passed away in hospital a few months later, he'd been put on a ventilator.
"She took that quite bad, he was only 40 at the time.
"He did a tour out in Sierra Leone and what he saw out there really scarred him and he couldn't cope with his demons."
Mr Simms has set up a GoFundMe page to pay for his sister's funeral and establish a trust fund for her son Archie.
He said the family has been "overwhelmed" by the support.
If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit the site to find your local branch.
