Girl died in car park after £10 drug dose
COURT: A 15- year- old girl died in a Northallerton car park after taking a double dose of MDMA that cost just £ 10, an inquest has been told.
Leah Heyes collapsed in the Applegarth car park in the town after taking crystallised MDMA – also known as ecstasy – when she was with a group of friends in May 2019.
A 15- YEAR- OLD girl died in a Northallerton car park after taking a double dose of MDMA that cost just £ 10, an inquest has been told.
Leah Heyes collapsed in the Applegarth car park after taking crystallised MDMA – also known as ecstasy – with a group of friends in May 2019.
She had arranged to buy the drugs several days earlier via text message, and two local men – Mitchell Southern, 19, of Thirsk, and Connor Kirkwood, 18, of Dishforth – have since been convicted of supplying the Class A substance and are to be sentenced on November 16.
The inquest at County Hall yesterday was told the teenager suffered a ‘‘ rapid cardiac arrest’’ soon after ingesting the MDMA, and was unresponsive on arrival at James Cook University Hospital.
A post mortem examination found ‘‘ acute changes to the heart muscle cells’’ and evidence of previous cocaine use, while a toxicology report detected the fatal dose of MDMA.
The teenager was born Leah Elwin in Richmond, but preferred to be known as Heyes. She and her mother, Kerry Roberts, had moved around the country after Mrs Roberts began a relationship with a serving soldier, but returned to Northallerton in 2012.
At the time of her daughter’s death, Mrs Roberts was expecting a child with her partner and Leah was looking forward to becoming a sister.
Mrs Roberts described her daughter as a ‘‘ typical teenager who was always using Snapchat’’. She said Leah loved animals, had been a keen ballerina and attended a youth club in Northallerton.
She said: “We had a close relationship. She did drink alcohol about once a week and once I spoke to her after she came home stoned. I didn’t want her going down that path.
“I limited her pocket money and she never appeared to be under the influence again after that occasion.”
She last spoke to Leah on the morning of May 11, the day of her death, before the teenager went out for the day with friends. She did not hear from her again, but at around 9pm received a call from Leah’s friends asking her to come to Applegarth car park as her daughter was unwell.
She and the first police officer to arrive at the scene, PC Jack Dodsworth, initially believed Leah was drunk. PC Dodsworth said she was ‘‘ staggering and leaning against a car’’ when he approached her, slurring her words and she fell over several times. He requested an ambulance, shortly before Leah lapsed into unconsciousness and appeared to have a seizure. By this point, she was unresponsive.
Det Sgt Chris Parker- Beagrie said an investigation was begun after her friends said she had taken illegal drugs.
Recording a verdict of a drugs related death, North Yorkshire coroner Jonathan Leach said: “It is clear that Leah was from a loving and supportive family who had no real concerns about her behaviour. Taking illegal drugs is a risky business, as shown by Leah’s death.”
A typical teenager who was always using Snapchat. Kerry Roberts on her daughter Leah, who died after taking a dose of the drug MDMA.