Fun-loving UK teenager dies after taking drugs at Full Moon party in Thailand, inquest reveals

A fun-loving, “fiercely independent” teenager from the United Kingdom died after taking drugs at a Full Moon party in Thailand an inquest heard. A UK coroner yesterday determined that the 18 year old woman from Winchester died by misadventure after taking ecstasy while backpacking in Thailand.

The teenager, Eleanor Yates, was found dead in her bed in the Ko Pha Ngan district on February 19 last year.

The inquest, at Portsmouth Coroners’ Court yesterday, heard that she had been travelling extensively in her gap year. She planned to go to the University of Bristol to study film, the Daily Mail reported.

The 18 year old had attended a Full Moon party on February 17. The inquest heard that she had taken an ecstasy tablet, also known as MDMA.

However, she was found dead at 9am on February 19.

The inquest revealed that a post-mortem examination conducted by consultant pathologist Dr Adnan Al-Badri showed that the cause of death was MDMA toxicity resulting in cardiac arrest.

Melissa Damsgaard, who had been travelling with Eleanor revealed that six of them went to the Full Moon party on February 17.

“We had a great time dancing together. I went back to the dormitory at around 11pm. Eleanor came back about two hours later. She said she had bought a hard drug from a woman at the party.”

The inquest heard that Damsgaard found that she had died.

Eleanor’s father, John, paid tribute to his daughter. He said…

“Initially Eleanor was averse to travelling. We moved to India when she was nine and she kicked and screamed when we went somewhere exotic on holiday. But she became a more confident traveller as time went on. She had 50 stamps on her passport. She had saved up for her gap year for three years working at Sainsbury’s.

“However, the drugs she was doing while at college were a shock to us.”

Eleanor’s father told the inquest that his daughter had spent about two and a half months travelling in Europe before moving on to Thailand. He said…

“She was living her dream. She was fiercely independent.”

Catherine, her mother, added she was disappointed with the Full Moon party investigation from the Thai police.

“They only interviewed people she was with. They didn’t speak to the bar staff.”

The coroner concluded…

“I have heard that Eleanor was an extensive traveller. Based on the evidence, I am satisfied that the MDMA was taken by her, however, the exact time cannot be ascertained.

“The cause of death is misadventure. She intentionally took the drug, but the consequence was unintended. I offer my genuine and sincere condolences to the family.”