Synthetic drugs linked with 25 deaths

30-year-old mother joined growing list of victims after years of addiction: Coroner

Nicole Charlotte Graham’s name is one on a growing list of people who have died after using synthetic drugs — the coroner’s office is now investigating 25 deaths possibly associated with the drug.

The problem became so bad this year that police and the coroner issued a warning in July after a series of deaths believed to have been caused by synthetic drugs.

The Office of the Chief Coroner previously said there were 20 cases under review where synthetic drugs were a possible cause of death but that has since risen to 25.

Coroner Chris Devonport’s findings into the death of Graham were released to the Herald this week.

Graham, 30, died at a Lower Hutt house on July 13 last year.

Devonport ruled that Graham died as “from the effects of synthetic cannabinoid toxicity (5F-ADB) after smoking a synthetic drug at that address on that day”. In the findings he outlined how Graham had a long battle with drug addiction.

Graham gave birth to her son in February 2016 but Child Youth and Family, now the Ministry for Children, determined she was not fit to care for her baby and he was permanently placed with whanau.

Devonport heard Graham had used high doses of natural and synthetic drugs at least four times a week throughout the pregnancy and the baby was “neurologically damaged” and “already significantly behind in his milestones and would be likely to have challenging special needs”.

After her baby was taken into care, Graham’s motivation to continue treatment for her alcohol and drug addiction “reduced”.

She was hospitalised on July 10 when she had a seizure after smoking synthetic drugs. She refused treat- ment and two days later she and partner Michael Robinson went to her sister Shelley Neha-Toki’s house.

Robinson said “after a couple of cones” Graham “went all relaxed over the bench, like she was sleeping”.

“He thought that Ms Graham was ‘wasted like usual’ and he states that he checked that her breathing and her pulse were appropriate.”

Neha-Toki’s partner, Vance Puhia, told the coroner Graham had bought the synthetics “on the black market”.

He said after she smoked some of it “she started having a fit”.

His nephew arrived and saw Graham with her feet straight out in front of her, “completely slumped over forward, so her face was touching the ground”.

He asked if she was okay and Neha-Toki replied that she had just “had too much to drink and too much synthetics”.

After about an hour Puhia’s nephew went to go to the toilet.

As he walked through the kitchen area he saw Graham in the same place — but lying on her back with her arms by her side.

Graham’s face was orange and he thought she was dead “when he saw a fly flying off her face by her mouth”.

He fled the property, ran to his own home an called 111.

Wellington Free Ambulance staff declared her dead at 4.40pm.