Schoolgirl, 15, dies after suspected overdose at house party
Police probe into ‘unexplained’ tragic death of promising pupil
A TEENAGE girl has died in a suspected drugs overdose.
Dione Melville, 15, could not be saved when paramedics went to a house in response to an early morning call.
Two of the schoolgirl’s friends, also 15, were taken to hospital but are not thought to have required medical treatment.
Dione was pronounced dead shortly after ambulance staff arrived at the property in East Calder, West Lothian, on Sunday.
Police are understood to be investigating whether or not she had taken drugs.
Police Scotland have arrested a 15-yearold boy in the same area and charged him with supplying illegal drugs.
Dione, who was only a few months away from leaving school and wanted to train as a hairdresser, had made numerous references to drug use on social media, posting messages from other people mentioning ecstasy and cocaine.
However, the cause of her death will not be certain until a post-mortem examination is performed.
Her two friends were admitted to St John’s Hospital in Livingston as a precaution but are said to have suffered no ill effects.
The death of the teenager, believed to have been at an address in Langton Avenue, East Calder, is being treated as unexplained and a report has gone to the procurator fiscal.
Dione’s parents, Lesley Jervis Melville and Michael Melville, were too upset to speak last night but the acting head of West Calder High School paid tribute to her.
Lisa Grubb said: ‘Dione was a popular girl and an ambitious young lady who had plans to work in hairdressing and in the beauty industry after leaving school in the summer. She was very focused on her future and the thoughts of the school community are with Dione’s family and friends.’
On a social networking site, the teenager had spoken about doing work experience alongside her mother in a hairdressing salon last year.
She said her family, her parents and brother Aaran were the most important people to her, spoke about the family dog Charlie, and said she was closest to her mother.
Yesterday Mrs Melville, 45, posted on Facebook in tribute to her daughter a picture of Dione holding a dog. Only weeks ago, Dione had put up her own picture to say she was wearing gold in memory of Jak Trueman, a 15-year-old fellow pupil who died last February after a fight against cancer.
But her Twitter page also shows the alarming drug cul-
‘Ambitious young lady’
ture that surrounded the schoolgirl. She posted other people’s messages on her social media page, including an information leaflet stating that ecstasy costs £2 to £5 per tablet, and a joke about cocaine.
Last year she retweeted a message using t he sl ang ‘eccies’ for ecstasy tablets. However, on another social media site she said she had never taken the drug.
The post-mortem examination will provide a toxicology report on any substances in her body.
In a statement, Police Scotland said: ‘ Police were called to an address in East Calder at 9.50am on Sunday following a report of concern for a teenager. The Scottish Ambulance Service attended and a 15year-old girl was pronounced dead a short time later.’
A schoolboy was arrested for a suspected drugs offence on the same day Dione died, Police Scotland confirmed.
A f orce spokesman said: ‘ Police i n West Lothian arrested and charged a 15year- old male in connection with the supply of drugs in the East Calder area on Sunday.’
Tributes were paid online yesterday by Dione’s friends. Sevyn Martin wrote: ‘ RIP Dione, you were such an amazing friend. Love you millions.’