Louise Merrick was born to seventeen-year-old Sandie Merrick and her nineteen-year-old boyfriend Andy Longthorn.
Sandie gave birth to Louise whilst with her father Tom in Aberdeen in November 1983, having fallen out with her mother Pat Sugden over the pregnancy. Sandie decided to move to Beckindale and put Louise up for adoption, to Pat's dismay, who had just gotten used to the idea of being a grandmother.
When Sandie left to live with her father Tom, Louise went with her.