This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y3ze59zzeo
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Parents 'devastated' over daughter's suspected poisoning death | Parents 'devastated' over daughter's suspected poisoning death |
| (33 minutes later) | |
| Simone White's parents described their daughter as a "soul who gave so much" | |
| The parents of British lawyer Simone White, who died in a suspected poisoning in Laos, have said they are "devastated" by the "terrible tragedy". | The parents of British lawyer Simone White, who died in a suspected poisoning in Laos, have said they are "devastated" by the "terrible tragedy". |
| Ms White died in hospital after drinking alcohol suspected to have been laced with methanol in the backpacking hotspot Vang Vieng. | Ms White died in hospital after drinking alcohol suspected to have been laced with methanol in the backpacking hotspot Vang Vieng. |
| The 28-year-old was one of six tourists to die in the popular tourist town. | The 28-year-old was one of six tourists to die in the popular tourist town. |
| In a statement, her parents said: "Simone was one of a kind and had the most wonderful energy and spark for life. | |
| "She was a soul who gave so much to so many and was loved by her family, friends and colleagues." | "She was a soul who gave so much to so many and was loved by her family, friends and colleagues." |
| They said their daughter had been "taken far too soon" and would be "sorely missed by her brother, grandmother and entire family". | They said their daughter had been "taken far too soon" and would be "sorely missed by her brother, grandmother and entire family". |
| They added: "Our hearts go out to all other families who have been affected by this terrible tragedy." | |
| Holly Bowles, a 19-year-old Australian, became the sixth person to die from the suspected poisoning on Friday. | |
| Her friend Bianca Jones, also 19, an unnamed US man and two Danish women, aged 19 and 20, are also among the victims. | |
| News reports and testimonies suggest the tourists may have consumed alcohol laced with methanol - a deadly substance often found in bootleg alcohol. | |
| Medical specialists say drinking as little as 25 millilitres of methanol can be fatal, but it is sometimes added to drinks because it is cheaper than alcohol. | |
| Christer Hogstrand, a professor of molecular ecotoxicology, at King’s College London said it was also "not uncommon in home-distilled alcohol". | |
| "Methanol is like the alcohol in our drinks – colourless and odourless – but its impact on humans can be deadly," he explained. "It has a different carbon atom structure which completely changes how humans process it in the body, leading to these potentially fatal consequences." | |
| It is not yet known where any of the people who fell sick or died were poisoned. | |
| It can take up to 24 hours for victims to start showing signs of illness. | |
| Ms White's employer, law firm Squire Patton Boggs, described her as a "talented colleague with a bright future". | |
| In a statement, the firm said: "It is with deep sadness that we mourn the tragic passing of our dear friend and colleague Simone White." | |
| A spokesperson described Ms White, from Orpington, south-east London, as "someone who epitomised our firm values". |