Tragic mum (29) ‘poisoned’ after taking what she believed were ecstasy tablets

A YOUNG mother who died suddenly took a deadly illicit substance she mistakenly believed was ecstasy, a coroner has found.

Olivia Reilly (29) was found dead at a house in Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh, on August 4, 2013.

She had a son who was aged nine at the time.

Her death, which was initially reported as unexplained, was linked in a police investigation at the time to a second fatality discovered within 24 hours in the same area.

The body of Noel Reilly (36), who was not related to Ms Reilly, was discovered at a property within a mile of where the young mother was found dead.

At an inquest at Craigavon Courthouse yesterday, Ms Reilly’s loved ones — including her parents — were emotional as Coroner Suzanne Anderson ruled that Ms Reilly had died from poisoning from para-methoxyamphetamine (PMA).

Dubbed ‘Dr Death’, the drug is an amphetamine sold in tablet form, and is similar to MDMA — the active component of ecstasy.

However, PMA is more poi- sonous and can kill at lower doses, but is often mis-sold as ecstasy by drug dealers.

It has been linked to a spate of deaths in the UK in recent years, including seven young people in Scotland in July 2013 — a month before Ms Reilly’s death.

The inquest was told that the evening before Ms Reilly passed away, the care worker had been out drinking with friends in two local bars.

The following day, Ms Reilly arrived around midday at a property in Trasna Way, Lisnaskea, to rejoin her friends Maeve Sheridan and Kevin McElroy, who was the tenant of the property.

The three were accompanied by another man, who left before Ms Reilly passed away, the coroner was told.

The inquest heard Ms Sheridan — who died suddenly in 2015, the inquest was informed — revealed in a statement that the group had been enjoying drinking when Ms Reilly sent a text in an attempt to obtain ecstasy.

According to Ms Sheridan, a man later arrived with a “plastic see-through bag of tablets” which it is thought Ms Reilly paid £40 for.

Ms Reilly proceeded to take a number of tablets, believed to have been six in staggered doses, the inquest was told, and a while later, began “having a fit”.

Ms Reilly, however, recovered from this initial episode, but was later struck by a second attack.

According to Ms Sheridan’s statement, Ms Reilly then “suddenly stopped shaking” and Mr McElroy contacted emergency services, which were notified close to 7pm.

The inquest heard how a 999 call handler explained over the phone to Mr McElroy