Woman suddenly dies after suffering alcoholic ketoacidosis

A 27-year-old woman has left behind devastated friends and family after she died suddenly from a rare reaction to drinking alcohol.

A friend of a 27-year-old woman who died suddenly after drinking alcohol on an empty stomach, has described her death as a “horrible shock”.

Alice Burton Bradford, from Brighton on the UK’s south coast, never made it to hospital – she instead died in her backyard after suffering from alcoholic ketoacidosis – a metabolic complication which can be triggered from drinking without eating anything first.

Ms Bradford’s friend Aaron Mulvay of eight years was devastated to learn of her death, taking to Facebook to share his heartache.

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Alice Burton Bradford, 27, of the UK, died suddenly after drinking alcohol on an empty stomach. Picture: GoFundMe

“It’s with such a heavy heart that my beautiful friend alice went to be with the angels yesterday. Can’t believe I won’t see her again. Absolutely gutted love you chick,” he wrote on June 2, a day after her death.

Mr Mulvay said he had never heard of alcoholic ketoacidosis until his friend had died.

“She had not eaten enough and it had triggered an acid in her stomach,” he said.

“It was just so sudden – she didn’t even have to go to hospital, but had gone out into her garden and passed away there.”

Aaron Mulvay and Alice have been friends for eight years. He described her death as a ‘horrible shock’. Picture: Facebook

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Mr Mulvay said her death was “absolutely a horrible shock”.

“No-one expected it at all.”

Mr Mulvay said he wasn’t sure how much Ms Bradford had to drink at the time, but said she was “not an alcoholic”.

“It’s so tragic as she was such a young age.”

Aaron has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for a memorial bench in honour of his good friend. Picture: Facebook

The 30-year-old who met Ms Bradford working at a bar in Brighton said she was someone who loved to go out, having enjoyed plenty of festivals together and was also a “health freak”.

“Just three weeks before she died, she had cycled over to say hello at a distance,” he said.

“It’s just so weird as if we’d known that was going to be the last time we were going to see her we would have given her hugs, but we couldn’t at the time as we were in lockdown.”

It is unknown how much alcohol Alice had to drink at the time of her death in early June. Picture: Facebook

A GoFundMe page set up to raise funds for a memorial bench in honour of Ms Bradford has been flooded with donations and messages of condolences.

“Alice was great, I loved her attitude to running, she threw herself into our running club attending loads of races, and her enthusiasm and joy for running was clear for all to see,” one friend wrote.

“She came on a few Goodgym runs and socials and was a friendly, welcoming addition to the group. I’m really sad she’s gone and would love to have a place to run to think of her and her lovely energy.”

She has been described as beautiful person, who loved dogs who enjoyed the outdoors and keeping fit. Picture: Facebook

So far, more than $A3000 has been raised for Ms Bradford, who has also been described as being a dog lover.

“Alice’s Go Fund Me page has hit target which I am so so grateful for. She would of loved this. What ever money is now raised over this will be donated to a local dog charity,” Mr Mulvay said.

“I am so grateful for everyone’s help … it means the world to me and her family.”

“She will be deeply, deeply missed,” another devastated friend wrote online.