A teenage girl who was studying for her A-Levels died after taking an ecstasy pill for the first time with friends at a sleepover, an inquest heard. Lila-Grace Smith, 17, took the class A drug last summer when she stayed over at a friend’s house.
After her friends became concerned for her health they called 999 and she was rushed to hospital, but despite the best efforts of her pals and emergency responders she tragically died. The amount of ecstasy in her system was ‘well within’ the range of levels that have been associated with deaths from taking the drug, Bradford Coroner’s Court heard.
Emma Hargreaves, Lila’s mother, told the inquest that she had previously warned her daughters of the dangers of taking drugs as she had known someone who had overdosed from ecstasy, WalesOnline reports. In a statement read to the court, Emma said that Lila had never taken drugs before, although she had spoken to friends about it.
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The 17-year-old was in sixth-form studying Psychology, Biology and French at North Halifax Grammar School. Emma told the court that Lila had a part-time job as a waitress and had previously taken piano lessons.
She added: "Lila had met her boyfriend at primary school and they had been boyfriend and girlfriend for some time. Lila would stay over at her friend's houses from time to time. We knew she would have a drink when she went to parties, but we weren't worried about her consuming alcohol.
"We'd just started having conversations about drugs. When I was younger, I knew someone who overdosed on ecstasy."
The inquest heard that on June 3, 2021, Lila was sleeping over at a friend's house in Keighley, West Yorks. They had discussed going out to bars, but chose to stay in. The court heard the friends had consumed alcohol, nitrous oxide - a legal high known as 'hippy crack' - and later ecstasy.
Detective Sergeant Collum Hanogue, who supervised the police investigation, said the friends had researched the effects of ecstasy earlier in the evening. But added that no criminal proceedings were ongoing and that police were unable to identify who had supplied and acquired the drug.
He told the inquest the two girls Lila was with rang one of their boyfriends just after 11pm after she'd taken ill. The unnamed lad and three pals got in a taxi and arrived at the house at 11.20pm.
Two of them put Lila in the recovery position and two took the girls to another room to save her embarrassment when she came round. But they rang 999 when her condition worsened at 11.42pm and administered CPR until the ambulance arrived.
Medics rushed Lila to hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 12.45am on Saturday, June 4, the inquest heard. DS Hanogue said: "It would very much appear that all parties were aware and were willing participants."
Recording a narrative conclusion, Assistant Coroner for West Yorkshire Mary Burke said: "This is a tragic case of the death of a young girl who had her whole life ahead of her. Hopefully young people out there who might hear of this report may pause and think for a minute before they take such risks.
"We have a family here who will grieve forever and a day for the loss of their loved one. Let this be a lesson, please."
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