27-05-2025
Mother's warning after daughter died from lethal cocktail of drugs
A mother has warned of the dangers of drugs after her daughter accidentally overdosed on a lethal cocktail of substances while on holiday in Thailand.
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.
The white powder she thought was cocaine was a lethal combination of drugs including painkillers, sleeping pills, morphine and anxiety medication.
'Stay away'
Her mother 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 the 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.'
'Happy go lucky'
Rebecca, who was described by her mother as 'caring' and 'happy go lucky' had been travelling in Thailand to celebrate a friend's wedding in Laos in March last year.
She and 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.
The couple had planned to check out on March 16 but at midday a friend called the hotel to say Rebecca was missing, the inquest heard.
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.
Post-mortem
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 a post-mortem 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.
Desperate attempt
The hearing was told Rebecca had a history of drug and alcohol misuse, depression and anxiety, but was looking forward to travelling there and was due to meet up with friends.
Coroner Laura Bradford ruled out suicide despite Rebecca's history of depression and mental health problems.
Afterwards, her mother 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 assist children in schools in Bangkok which was a cause close to her daughter's heart.
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.
