Cocktail of drugs led to tragic death of talented artist

Student, 17, found unresponsive by brother

A Canterbury College student died after consuming a cocktail of drugs while on a night out, an inquest has heard. Sophie Pearce, 17, was found unresponsive by her brother, after a concerned friend asked him to check on her. Police and paramedics were called to the scene and managed to resuscitate her, but she tragically died later the same day in hospital.

Her death was treated as ‘unexplained’ by police at the time of the incident on Saturday May 25, 2019. However, at the inquest at County Hall in Maidstone on Friday, area coroner Katrina Hepburn revealed the student’s death was due to multiple organ failure caused by mixed drugs toxicity.

Almost nine months after her death following extensive delays in gathering evidence, it was revealed Ms Pearce had gone out with friends, having made a cocktail of drugs that included a large amount of morphine. It is understood she and two friends had returned to her house in Beaconsfield Avenue, Dover, in the early morning having taken the drugs. All three fell asleep, and upon waking, both friends unsuccessfully attempted to rouse Ms Pearce. Eventually, the friends left after putting her into the recovery position, assuming she was still sleeping off the effects of the drugs as she was noticeably breathing at that point. However, they became increasingly concerned for her and one sent a text message to her brother to ask him to check on her. He did so, and immediately called for an ambulance after finding her unresponsive, without a pulse and not breathing. Paramedics and police attended and she was brought to the William Harvey Hospital. Ms Pearce, who went to Folkestone School for Girls, was described by Ms Hepburn as “clearly a popular young lady with an incredible amount of potential”.

She said: “This is a case that will stay with me, having spent so long going over the statements of so many of her friends, family and colleagues and seeing how much she impacted everyone around her. This was an incredibly tragic incident and I do hope the family accept my most sincere condolences.” Following Sophie’s tragic death, Canterbury College dedicated its end-of-year art show to the “highly-talented young artist”, who was in the second year of her Level 3 graphic design and illustration course.

Sophie was described as ‘truly amazing’