Debra Dean

**Debra Dean** (previously **Malloy**) was the estranged mother of Ryan Malloy and Whitney Dean.

Debra left her daughter when she was very young, leaving her in the care of Whitney's father Nathan. However, Debra kept in touch with Nathan and his partner Bianca Jackson so Nathan and Bianca could keep her informed about Whitney.

In December 2008, Whitney tried to get in touch with Debra by sending a letter after being given the address from Bianca. She received no reply and assumed she got the wrong address. Bianca claimed not to have the right one when Whitney asked for it, wanting to protect her, but Janine Butcher discovered Bianca was lying, stole it from Bianca's address book and gave it to Whitney.

Whitney met with Debra in January 2009 at the café where Debra worked. Whitney tried to discuss when they lived together, but Debra showed no interest, coldly rejecting her, upsetting Whitney so much that she broke down in tears just after she left the café. She went home and told Bianca that she's her mother as Whitney felt visiting Debra was the biggest mistake she had made.

In June, Debra arrived in Albert Square unexpectedly. She tried to see Whitney but Bianca sent her away. A few days later, Debra returned, insisting she wanted to get to know her daughter. Bianca told her partner Ricky Butcher that Debra was not to be trusted, citing a time when she went on holiday with friends instead of celebrating Whitney's first birthday. Debra took Whitney out for lunch at the Queen Victoria, where they started to bond, and Debra confessed that she was homeless. As a result, Whitney asked Bianca to let her stay with them. Whitney helped her sell some counterfeit DVDs. Their bond grew stronger. Whitney was delighted when Debra asked her to come and live with her in Greece, only to realise that Debra was using her when she left suddenly, passing her a sealed envelope and saying she will be back for it, warning her not to open it or she would be "sorry".

Debra returned a few weeks later with cuts on her face, Debra says that someone is after her; it turned out to be her son Ryan. Whitney and Debra went to an abandoned school and retrieved a bag. Debra wouldn't let Whitney see the contents and when they got home, a man who had been stalking Whitney is inside. The man was Ryan. An argument erupted between mother and son. Whitney defended her mother, and Ryan countered that she's his mother too. It was revealed that the bag contained a knife that Ryan stabbed somebody with. Ryan returned the next morning and argued with Debra again, causing Whitney to run out and throw the knife into the canal. When she returned, Debra planned to leave but when Whitney told her about her abuser Tony King and his upcoming trial, she agreed to stay. However, when Ryan and Debra were left alone, he told her to leave, insisting she was a bad mother and that Whitney was better off without her. Looking frightened, Debra left.

In December, Debra sent Ryan a text message to say that she cannot attend Tony's trial to support Whitney and not to contact her again.

## List of appearances

### 2009

* Mon 5th Jan
* Fri 5th Jun
* Mon 8th Jun
* Tue 9th Jun
* Thu 11th Jun
* Fri 12th Jun
* Fri 17th Jul
* Mon 20th Jul
* Tue 21st Jul
* Thu 23rd Jul
* Fri 24th Jul