A family has successfully compelled police to reopen an investigation into the death of a 27-year-old woman discovered in her flat wearing only one sock, with bruises and blood splatters across the scene. Katie Beattie was found dead in her Lancaster home on July 1, 2024.
Discovery and Initial Response
Her parents, Shonna, 61, and David Beattie, 67, grew concerned after not hearing from her for several days. They contacted emergency services, who arrived to find Katie wearing just one sock, with visible bruises on her body. A neighbor's doorbell footage captured Katie entering her flat with a man days before her death, and the neighbor saw him leaving the day before her body was found.
Police initially concluded there was no evidence to suggest the death was suspicious, closing the case in August 2025. However, the family, led by Katie's sister Kellie Rhodes, 38, pushed for a review, which has now led to the investigation being reopened.
Family's Grievances
Kellie expressed frustration, stating, "Over the last two years, we haven't had time to grieve. We want a criminal prosecution for the male who was in her flat. We believe there is enough evidence to build a case against him." She noted that the deterioration of Katie's body suggested the man was present at the time of death. The family also found a needle mark on Katie's foot, but no needle was at the scene.
Kellie described Katie as a "happy-go-lucky" girl who loved animals but struggled with alcoholism to cope with her autism, leading her to associate with the "wrong crowd." She had been in rehab multiple times and met unsavory characters.
Timeline of Events
On June 28, 2024, Katie was dropped off at her flat after a 13-day stay at a mental health unit. Her family described her as the healthiest they had seen her in a long time. After not hearing from her, her parents called police on July 1, but the family claims officers refused a welfare check. It wasn't until 6 p.m. that ambulance and fire crews arrived, finding Katie dead on her bed.
Kellie and her sister Emily drove to the flat, where paramedics were outside. Kellie was told police had ordered a forensic foot plate, leading her to believe a crime investigation was underway. However, the next day, police returned Katie's belongings, changed the locks, and said no further action would be taken.
Mortuary Findings
At the mortuary, staff initially said the death was not suspicious. But on July 3, 2024, the family persuaded staff to check Katie's toes for puncture marks, which they found. The family also claims Katie's left foot had been cleaned before arrival at the mortuary. An inquest was unable to determine the cause of death.
When Kellie retrieved the keys to the flat, she described a shocking scene: "You could see the outline of where Katie was lying on the bed; it was brown and discoloured. There were blood droplets by the sofa, on the ceiling and by the bed. I saw a bottle of washing up liquid on the bed, empty bottles of vodka. I couldn't believe the police saw nothing suspicious."
Reopened Investigation
After the case was closed, Kellie submitted a victim's right to review application. Lancashire Police have now confirmed the original investigation has been reassessed, and further enquiries are being conducted. Kellie said, "This has been a two-year battle. We have done all the work. My dad was going around getting CCTV and putting posters up. We shouldn't have done any of this."
Police have appealed for anyone with information to call 101 quoting log 1092 of 1 July 2024.
