Friends pay tribute to teenager who died in custody at Cheshire prison

Friends of a teenager who died while in custody at a women’s prison say she was the 'kindest of girls'.Annelise Sanderson, 18, died at HMP Styal, in Wilmslow, on Tuesday (December 22).Police were called to the prison at 6.40am following the teenager's 'sudden death', which is not being treated as suspicious.Ms Sanderson’s friends have now paid tribute to the 'funny, caring and kind' young woman.They said: "She wasn’t just anybody, she was our friend and was truly loved by all who met her."Annelise lit up any room she walked into by signing or laughing.

"She had a way of making you laugh even when you didn’t want to, that was down to her bubbly sense of humour."Annelise was talented beyond belief, she loved to dance and sing."We never thought we would ever have to write this about our girl and our hearts are broken."She will forever live on and not a day will pass where she isn’t remembered."Fly high beautiful but always stay close. We miss and love you so much."Forever in our hearts - Kerry, Gemma, Melissa, Keanna, Rachel, Anne and everyone who has had the pleasure of meeting you."Ms Sanderson is the fifth inmate to die at HMP Styal over the last three years.

Cheshire Police said: “Officers were called at around 6.40am on Tuesday 22 December following the sudden death of a 18-year-old woman at HM Prison Styal in Wilmslow.“The death is not being treated as suspicious.“A case file will be prepared for the coroner.”HMP Styal is currently being investigated following the death of a baby at the prison in June.It is understood that neither the woman or staff were aware she was pregnant until she went into labour on the toilet on June 18.Four months later, in October, the prison went into lockdown following an outbreak of Covid-19.Inmates who tested positive for the virus were told to remain in their cells or prison houses as Public Health England worked with prison bosses to manage the outbreak.As a result, all visits were suspended.The Ministry of Justice did not say how many inmates and staff members had tested positive for the virus and declined to comment on whether or not any inmates had become ill enough to require hospital treatment.Prisoners were allowed to stay in touch with their families through secure video and phone calls and were allowed time out of cells and exercise where possible.HMP Styal, a former orphanage, was first opened as a women’s prison in 1962 to serve female inmates from Strangeways, in Manchester.It is the only female prison in the region with a capacity of 486 inmates.