'Happy go lucky' British traveller was found dead in Bangkok hotel room with her boyfriend after accidentally taking lethal cocktail of drugs, inquest finds
A 'happy-go-lucky' and 'caring' young British woman died while on holiday in Thailand after accidentally consuming a lethal cocktail of drugs, an inquest heard.
Rebecca Turner, 36, died in a Bangkok hotel room after taking what she thought was a line of cocaine with her partner.
But the white powder she thought was cocaine was actually a lethal combination of drugs including painkillers, sleeping pills, morphine and anxiety medication.
Now her devastated mother has warned other travellers to stay away from street drugs while travelling in Thailand.
Anita Turner, 64, from Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, said: 'It's so, so dangerous out there. There are loads of drug deaths all the time. It's shocking.
'I would warn people to stay away from recreational drugs out there because you simply don't know what's in it.'
She condemned Thai police and said the drugs were bought from a street drug pusher just yards from police station on a road notorious for tourist deaths.
'There have been multiple deaths on that one road. Loads of people have died and yet the Thai police don't want to know.'
'I'm absolutely heartbroken. It's been devastating for the whole family. I wanted to warn people going out there not to buy drugs. It's too dangerous.'
Rebecca had been travelling in Thailand to celebrate a friend's wedding in Laos in March last year.
She and friend Sam Melnick, 32, a self-employed gas-engineer and plumber, had checked into the Khaosan Palace Hotel on March 12 and were due to check out on March 16
He had texted a friend on March 15 saying he had just bought some cocaine, Mrs Turner said.
An inquest into Rebecca's death heard the couple had planned to check out on March 16 but at midday a friend called the hotel to say Rebecca was missing.
Hotel staff made several calls to the hotel room but received no answer so, as the guests were overdue for checking out, staff went to the room and used a key card to gain entry.
On entry they discovered Rebecca lying dead on her left side on the floor near the bathroom while Sam was lying dead on the bed.
The inquest at East Sussex Coroners' Court in Lewes, was told a clear plastic ziplock bag was found containing white powder,
White powder was also found spread on the sink and a bank note was found rolled up on the sink. The drug was ultimately found to be heroin.
Rebecca's body was flown back to the UK and an autopsy was carried out.
The pathologist carried out toxicology tests and found evidence of multiple drugs in her system including morphine, monoacetylmorphine, noscapine, diazepam, codeine and trazodone.
The hearing was told Rebecca had a history of drug and alcohol misuse, depression and anxiety.
But the 36-year-old, who had previously spent four years in Laos and described it as her second home, was looking forward to her travelling and was due to meet up with friends.
Coroner Laura Bradford ruled out suicide despite Rebecca's history of depression and mental health problems.
Giving a conclusion of drug-related death, she extended her sympathies to the family.
Afterwards her mother, Anita, said she had visited Thailand three times since her daughter's death last year in a desperate attempt to uncover what actually happened.
She plans to go back again in June to help provide assistance for children in schools in Bangkok which was a cause close to her daughter's heart.
She said: 'I want to go back and help the schools for the sake of Rebecca, to raise funds and equipment for them. It was something Rebecca really wanted to help with so I'm doing it for her as well.
'But most of all I just want to say: 'Please don't do drugs out there'. It's so dangerous and you don't know what is in it. It's just not worth it.
'Rebecca was a lovely, caring person. She was happy go lucky really and we loved her. We are absolutely heartbroken.'
Last year, six tourists - including a British lawyer - died in Laos after drinking vodka laced with deadly methanol.
Trainee solicitor Simone White, 28, was among five young women and one man who consumed vodka at the £6-a-night Nana Backpacker Hostel.
Just 4ml of methanol, a common by-product of home-brewed alcohol which is sometimes added to bootleg drinks to make them stronger, can be lethal.
All six people died despite receiving medical treatment. A further dozen needed hospital treatment but survived.
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