A teenager tragically lost their life after swallowing a poison she ordered online from Ukraine.
Sophia Gurung suddenly collapsed and died on July 26, 2023, while at her family home in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, according to a report by Daily Mail.
A police investigation into the 16-year-old's death revealed that the teen "ingested" a deadly chemical she ordered online and had delivered to her home address.
The poison has been connected to more than 130 UK deaths since 2019, according to scientist Professor Amrita Ahluwalia, per the outlet.
Sophia attended private Queen Anne's School in Reading, Berkshire.
The teen's father, Nishan Gurung, disclosed in a police statement that he woke up in the middle of the night to the "sounds of Sophia in clear distress, struggling to breathe," per Daily Mail.
Nishan and Sophia's mum rushed to her bedroom where they found their daughter "lying in bed in a straight line, with her eyes closed, and breathing short breaths".
He tried to wake her up but his efforts were in vain so he called 999 and performed CPR until paramedics arrived. The young girl was then rushed to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford where she was sadly pronounced dead at 2.18AM.
A first post-mortem examination showed that there were no external signs of injury, and the cause of death remained uncertain until it was discovered that Sophia had swallowed lethal poison.
A toxicological examination also demonstrated that there were high levels of toxin present in her body before her tragic death.
Coroner Mr Salter spoke about the investigation into Sophia's passing, revealing that the drug "appeared to have been ordered to the address, with the parcel thought to have originated from Ukraine," per the outlet.
"During a search of Sophia's bedroom, conducted with her parents' consent, a package of white powder was located in Sophia's personal handbag, which was wrapped in polystyrene," they said. "It appears Sophia has ordered and received this package and has ingested its content."
The coroner also shared that the student "suffered from low mood and some suicidal thoughts" during her time in school and had been seen by her local GP, whom she spoke to weekly.
Furthermore, the inquest heard that at the end of June 2023, the teen sat her final GCSE exam and felt relaxed and positive about her results. She also opened up to her counselor about her plans for the summer term.
However, the police investigation later revealed that Sophia had already ordered the fatal chemical, which she received in a parcel at her home on June 30.
A spokesman for Queen Anne's School stated that they were "shocked and saddened" by Sophia's heartbreaking death.
Our thoughts are with Sophia's family and friends at this time.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.
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