Finding into death of Ms Jane
Deceased
Jane
Demographics
13y, female
Date of death
2017-06-21
Finding date
2021-05-31
Cause of death
hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy secondary to gamma hydroxybutyrate toxicity
AI-generated summary
Jane, aged 13, died from hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy secondary to gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) toxicity following accidental overdose. She ingested an estimated 6-9mls of GHB in early June 2017, having used the drug only once previously. Jane was relatively naive to GHB's effects. She was resuscitated after cardiac arrest but suffered irreversible brain injury and died two days later. The coroner found no clinical failures by emergency responders or hospital staff, and no inadequate child protection response or support services provision. Jane had engaged well with counselling, education support, and alcohol/drug services in the preceding two years and was making progress. Her death resulted from the unpredictability of the drug and the situation she found herself in, rather than lack of appropriate supports or service failures.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Specialties
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- accidental overdose of GHB
- naivety to GHB effects (limited prior use)
- young age and developmental stage
- peer influence and social dynamics
- risk-taking behaviour in context of underlying social anxiety
- ingestion of multiple doses of GHB over several hours
- unconsciousness while in prone position with airway obstruction risk
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