A teenage girl who took a fatal Ecstasy overdose shared a message of joy with her friends less than a day before she died.
Lauren Atkinson was found dead in a rented apartment in Manchester after attending Heldeep, a rave hosted by The Warehouse Project in a car park under Manchester Piccadilly train station.
After her friends found her unresponsive at 6am, they called the paramedics. Upon the arrival of medical assistance, Lauren was pronounced dead at the scene.
Less than 24 hours prior to the tragedy, Lauren shared Heldeep’s set times with her friends on Facebook, captioning the status ‘So excited roll on tomorrow’.
As tributes, laments of loss and warm wishes to Lauren’s family flood social media, police have confirmed the 19-year-old beautician from Ulverston had taken Class A drug, MDMA.
Lauren’s father, Nigel, 50, shared a tribute to his daughter on Facebook, saying:
As parents we were blessed to have a daughter who touched so many. And was loved by everyone.
The world has lost one amazing girl. On behalf of myself and Alison and all the family, I can’t thank you enough for your kindness.
Superintendent Stephen Howard, of Greater Manchester Police said:
This is a tragic situation. The death of a young person is always devastating but in these circumstances, it is all the more heart breaking. My thoughts are with her family and friends at this time.
Sadly, we know it is very unlikely that the girl was the only person to have taken this drug. We are appealing to anyone who may have taken ecstasy, to get checked out. Even if you took it some hours ago, this pill will still be in your system and could be seriously harming your health.
Anyone with any information about what happened or where this drug may have come from should contact police as soon as possible.
Four individuals in their 20s were arrested on suspicion of possessing Class A drugs on the day of the teenager’s death, according to the Daily Mail.
If you have any information please contact Greater Manchester Police or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.