Mystery over death of girl, 16, at cannabis party
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THE family of a teenage girl from North Yorkshire who died mysteriously after a party may never know what caused her death after an inquest heard how she most likely had an undetected heart condition.
A post-mortem revealed A-level student Camilla Irvine, 16, had an “unidentified compound” in her body - but it is not thought this was what killed her.
A doctor has now warned her brother to be tested for any possible heart defect after hearing on the balance of probabilities this was what killed his sister.
Camilla had been smoking cannabis at a pal’s bash in Scorton, near Richmond, before falling asleep at a friend’s house.
But when friends tried to wake her the next day they found she was unconscious. They called for an ambulance, but she was pronounced dead later in hospital.
An inquest at Northallerton Magistrates Court heard today that the post-mortem on Camilla, who dreamed of working in fashion, had found an “unidentified compound” in her urine.
But despite rigorous tests, experts were unable to identify it although they thought it “highly unlikely” that it was a party drug such as Mephedrone.
Coroner Michael Oakley recorded an open verdict.
Consultant forensic toxicologist Dr Simon Elliott revealed that they found an “unidentified compound” in Camilla’s urine, but despite testing for over 6000 different substances were unable to trace it.
He said: “Whatever it is, I’ve never seen it before. It’s unlikely it’s a new wave of a new type of drug because it would have been picked up in other areas of the country. It is truly an unidentified compound.
“We were aware their were legal highs available at the time, such as Mephedrone, but it wasn’t that and it wasn’t a new legal high because we would have known about it.
“However this compound was found in her urine sample, not in her blood, indicating it played no part in her death. It could have been naturally occurring in her body.”
Home Office pathologist Jennifer Hamilton said: “Her death is unascertained. This means we can never be certain exactly what caused her death.
“We don’t know what this substance is that was in her urine, but it’s far more likely it was a problem within her heart which developed when she slept.
“Unfortunately conditions such as this, where there is a problem with the electricity in her heart, usually remain undetected.”
Camilla’s parents Wendy and David wept as they heard the evidence. Dr Hamilton advised Camilla’s brother George who was also present to be tested for any possible heart defects.
Camilla’s friend Jennifer Brighton also appeared tearful as she revealed how Camilla had appeared “happy” at the house party on September 24 last year.
She said: “Camilla had slept on the sofa. We all woke up the next morning, tried to wake her up and she wouldn’t wake.”
Another friend, Jacob Attwood, was asked by the coroner if he had seen her take any drugs, other than the cannabis. He replied: “I swear on my life she hadn’t taken anything, I could just tell. She was happy. When we left the party she helped tidy up.
Camilla lived with her family on a farm in Newton-le-Willows, North Yorkshire. She was a former pupil of Ripon Grammar School and was less than a month into her A-Level studies at Richmond Grammar School.
In a previous statement her parents paid tribute to their daughter saying: “Milla was bubbly and vivacious girl who lived life to the full. She had a wide circle of friends, was caring about everyone she knew and was passionate about fashion.
“Milla’s loss will leave a massive hole in not only our lives but those of her many, many friends.”
Comments
There are 25 comments to this article
24milla'sfriend
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 11:30 PMWhat a bunch of twaddle - if the toxicology report had shown cannabis in Milla's bloodstream it might have been acceptable to publish under that headline, but even if she did sit in a car with others who smoked a joint, Milla's toxicology was clear apart from the "unknown compound". To mis-report in this blatant way is so unfair to Milla's family and friends, and completely misleads people who didn't have the pleasure and joy of knowing her. So many comments here reflect the disgust of those of us who did know her, and who mourn her loss. This low life reporting is unforgiveable - I hope the PCC give you an almighty rap over the knuckles and you do Milla's family the honour of publishing an apology for a badly written and factually incorrect article. RIP Milla x
23Tony J-A
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 11:28 PMAll those annonymous words -who was the reporter? the only accurate words published other than the names of the coroner and experts who concluded that "it’s far more likely it was a problem within her heart which developed when she slept." are the grief of milla's family and friends. A truly shoddy piece of reporting worthy only of a giveaway rag.
22milla'sfriend
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 11:11 PMWhat a bunch of twaddle - if the toxicology report had shown cannabis in Milla's bloodstream it might have been acceptable to publish under that headline, but even if she did sit in a car with others who smoked a joint, Milla's toxicology was clear apart from the "unknown compound". To mis-report in this blatant way is so unfair to Milla's family and friends, and completely misleads people who didn't have the pleasure and joy of knowing her. So many comments here reflect the disgust of those of us who did know her, and who mourn her loss. This low life reporting is unforgiveable - I hope the PCC give you an almighty rap over the knuckles and you do Milla's family the honour of publishing an apology for a badly written and factually incorrect article. RIP Milla x
21dontbuyyp
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 11:09 PMEmbarrassingly poor quality grammar, punctuation and above all content - misleading content. Did a you get a heartless moron in on work experience to write this? I don't know anything about this girl or her family, but the headline is entirely contradictory to the content and is purely there to attract views. Utterly revolting.
20monkeytoes
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 11:00 PMObviously this is an article written by a wannabe columnist for a sleasy tabloid newspaper. How misleading, irresponsible and unprofessional can one article in a newspaper be? The Press Complaints Commission should really have this highlighted to them. The facts alone would be enough! Remember a family who have never asked to be in the public eye is suffering.
19AnOnYmOuS11
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 10:56 PMThis is heartless, and extreemly insensitive! As a friend of the family, im absolutley appauled that you could publish something as disgusting as this. Anyone involved in this should be extreemly ashamed of themselves, using this heartbreaking case and twisting it is completely wrong. Next time you should think about what your printing because this just isnt acceptable
18nocomment
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 10:53 PMthis is the most disgusting, distasteful piece of so called 'journalism' that i have ever read. not only is it entirely misleading but it is upsetting to those you knew milla. her friends, her family..do you people not consider how this is going to make them feel? you have no compassion.
17ralphtd
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 10:43 PMWhat an atrocious headline. A complaint has been submitted to the Press Complaints Commission as I believe you are breaching at least three clauses of the editors' Code of Practice. Hopefully this appalling piece of 'journalism' will be removed as soon as possible.
16nameirrelevant
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 10:35 PMThere is not one thing right about this article. The headline is atrocious, the content is insensitive and misleading, the writing itself is a appalling. The person who wrote this, the person who edited this, the person that published it and anyone involved in the projection of this article deserve to be punished entirely. Junk. There is no point to this article and it does nothing but inflict anger, pain and hurt upon those who have already lost so much. The comments say enough. This junk is disgusting.
15nameirrelevant
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 10:28 PMThere is not one thing right about this article. The headline is atrocious, the content is insensitive and misleading, the writing itself is a appalling. The person who wrote this, the person who edited this, the person that published it and anyone involved in the projection of this article deserve to be punished entirely. Junk. There is no point to this article and it does nothing but inflict anger, pain and hurt upon those who have already lost so much. The comments say enough. This junk is disgusting.
14nameirrelevant
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 10:24 PMThere is not one thing right about this article. The headline is atrocious, the content is insensitive and misleading, the writing itself is a appalling. The person who wrote this, the person who edited this, the person that published it and anyone involved in the projection of this article deserve to be punished entirely. Junk. There is no point to this article and it does nothing but inflict anger, pain and hurt upon those who have already lost so much. The comments say enough. This junk is disgusting.
13MichaelJamesDrake
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 10:17 PMAs a friend of Milla i am completely and utterly disgusted that the writer of this article, and the editors of Yorkshire Post, believe they have the right to publish this in the way they have. How dare you tarnish the with the life of Milla in order to portray a manipulative and misleading piece of text for your own capitalist gain. My full hearted wishes go out to the Irvine's.
12Kpotter
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 10:13 PMThis is a misleading unprofessional piece of journalism. This is very disrespectful as I am sure you are aware many of her friends will read this awful implication. The title was irrelevant and unnecessary. How dare you compromise the respect of Milla, her family and friends to get more hits on your terribly written article. To be picky, "We were aware their were legal highs available at the time, such as Mephedrone...", "their" should be "there". You should be ashamed.
11eae91
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 10:04 PMTo add to my comment below... how can you right this story http:www.yorkshirepost.co.uknewsaround-yorkshirelocal-storiesour_grief_at_camilla_s_loss_1_2597064 and then write this piece of filth. I hope you are ashamed.
10Kpotter
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 10:00 PMThis is a misleading unprofessional piece of journalism. This is very disrespectful as I am sure you are aware many of her friends will read this awful implication. The title was irrelevant and unnecessary. How dare you compromise the respect of Milla, her family and friends to get more hits on your terribly written article. To be picky, "We were aware their were legal highs available at the time, such as Mephedrone...", "their" should be "there". You should be ashamed.
9eae91
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 09:50 PMI am outraged how a regional paper such as the Yorkshire Post has taken such a narrow minded and insensitive approach. Those close to Milla were left heart broken by the events and are still in a state of grief now. The journalist and editor never knew this amazing, kind heated and beautiful girl who was taken from us, and have reflected their heartless, story hungry attitude here. What a manipulated headline...I know there will be many complaints regarding this.
8AoifeSarahHurley
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 09:32 PMThis is the most insensitive piece of journalism I have ever seen. The headline implies that cannabis is too blame for her death. Which it most certainly is not. It disgusts me how unprofessional Yorkshire Post have been with this, using such a tragic story for a piece of journalism. How dare you speak ill of a girl you didn't have the pleasure of knowing. Whoever wrote this a disgrace.
7jimi fresh
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 08:51 PMI agree with peter , what a disgusting piece of journalism.
6A quiet man
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 08:31 PMa very sad story, shame on the reporter using this poor girls death to promote his anti cannabis agenda and shame on the editor who passed it fit for publication. my prayers go to for that poor family who are being abused by this publication
5pyro903
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 07:25 PMWhy does a story that has nothing to do with cannabis contain it in the title?
4OwainRees
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 07:19 PMvery tragic case...... shame you had to use it as a oppertunity to spread cannabis propaganda with that headline, knowing that people are going to read it asuming cannabis was to blame.
3OwainRees
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 07:18 PMvery tragic case...... shame you had to use it as a oppertunity to spread cannabis propaganda with that headline, knowing that people are going to read it asuming cannabis was to blame.
2PeterReynolds
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 07:06 PMAppalling misleading headline. Terrible irresponsible, unprofessional, disgusting journalism. I shall be submitting a complaint to the Press Complaints Commission.
1mary james
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at 06:26 PMcynical headline for an irrelevant part of the story. shame on you.
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Yorkshire Post gets blasted over dishonest 'cannabis party' headline with regard to Camille Irvine's sad death
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projectbrainsaver
Wednesday, March 30, 2011 at 01:03 AMAnswer this for me please. What made you headline this party as a 'cannabis party'? Do you mean that the sole purpose of the party was for the majority of the party goers to smoke or eat cannabis? A pal's bash? So was the pal, and all their friends, smokers or users of cannabis? Justify this headline for me please - don't just leave it as it is - it adds to inaccurate press about cannabis which a lot of people are trying to get legalised for valid medical use if for no other reason. your headline does imply that cannabis had something directly to do with Camilla Irvine's death. I am one of these people - I need cannabis allowed for my epilepsy - read up on the new facts being put out re cannabis and stop playing games with peoples memories and my possible peaceful, non trembling future.