Despite growing up in what she described as a “really good family”, she turned to drugs as a form of emotional escape.
“I always felt different. I wasn’t bullied and didn’t come from a broken home — I just felt something was missing.”
By 19, Charlotte had begun injecting heroin. Her addiction spiraled further, leading to criminal behavior including shoplifting to fund her habit, which resulted in around 12 jail sentences.
🏠 Homelessness, Health Struggles, and Loss
Her years of addiction brought serious consequences:
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She was homeless on and off, sleeping in unsafe places like train stations.
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In 2012, she nearly lost her leg due to blood clots caused by injecting drugs.
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That same year, she was diagnosed with Hepatitis C.
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Despite becoming a mother to three children — now aged 17, 15, and 10 — her addiction persisted, even during pregnancy.