The family of the woman who died after being exposed to novichok have described her as “a gentle soul who was generous to a fault”.
Dawn Sturgess, 44, died on Sunday evening after falling ill at the home of her partner Charlie Rowley in Amesbury, near Salisbury, on 30 July.
Police have launched a murder inquiry after her death at Salisbury District Hospital where Mr Rowley, 45, remains in a critical condition, having also been exposed to novichok.
The mother-of-three’s family have released a statement saying her death has been “devastating”.
“Dawn will always be remembered by us as a gentle soul who was generous to a fault,” they said.
“She would do anything for anybody and those who knew Dawn would know that she would gladly give her last penny to somebody in need.
“She had the biggest of hearts and she will be dreadfully missed by both her immediate and wider family.
“Our thoughts and prayers also go out to Charlie and his family and we wish Charlie a speedy recovery.”
They thanked “all of the NHS staff involved in Dawn’s care”.
“Especially the wonderful doctors and nurses at Salisbury District Hospital who we know afforded Dawn every possible chance of survival and treated her with the utmost care and dignity,” they added.
They also thanked the police and the local community for their support.
:: Novichok warning: ‘Don’t pick up any foreign objects’
The family have asked for “time and space” to grieve and have requested that “people stop speculating about Dawn and what has happened.”.
On Tuesday morning a white Audi was removed from Swindon, about 40 miles from Salisbury, as part of the investigation into the novichok poisonings.
A red Ford Transit van Mr Rowley had been a passenger in on the day he was poisoned has been taken away for testing, as has a bus taken by the pair the night before they become ill.
Russia, which has been accused of targeting Russian double agent Sergei and his daughter Yulia with the nerve agent, said it was sorry to hear of Ms Sturgess’s death.
To suggest that Russia was involved would be “absurd”, the Kremlin added, describing the investigation into Ms Sturgess’s death as a British problem.
Ms Sturgess collapsed at about 10.15am on 30 June and was taken to hospital in an ambulance.
Mr Rowley was then taken to hospital at 3.30pm the same day, which is when police were informed.
Scientists at the UK’s chemical laboratory Porton Down confirmed last Wednesday that the couple had been exposed to novichok.
Police suspect Ms Sturgess and Mr Rowley were exposed to novichok through a contaminated item left over from the first attack on the Skripals.
Detectives are still investigating the attempted murders of the Skripals and are looking into whether the separate incidents may be linked.
But officials have said there is no evidence the pair visited any of the sites in Salisbury which were decontaminated after the attempted murders of the Skripals.
Six locations visited by the couple in Salisbury and Amesbury before they fell ill have been cordoned off, including Mr Rowley’s home on Muggleton Road in Amesbury, a Boots shop and a baptist church.
Officers also evacuated the hostel in Salisbury where Ms Sturgess lived and investigators in hazmat suits were seen swabbing the building and collecting evidence on Friday.
CCTV footage has emerged of Ms Sturgess and Mr Rowley buying alcohol more than 24 hours before they became seriously unwell.
The couple, who were known drug users, spent the afternoon and evening of 29 June in Salisbury and visited a number of shops.
From – SkyNews
