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| Simone White: Be careful drinking abroad, warns mum of woman who died in Laos | |
| (2 months later) | |
| Simone White was one of several people poisoned in a backpacker hotspot in Laos | Simone White was one of several people poisoned in a backpacker hotspot in Laos |
| "If it can happen to her, it can happen to anybody", the mother of British lawyer Simone White, who died in a suspected poisoning in Laos, has warned. | "If it can happen to her, it can happen to anybody", the mother of British lawyer Simone White, who died in a suspected poisoning in Laos, has warned. |
| The 28-year-old, from Orpington, south-east London, was one of a number of people taken to hospital after drinking alcohol suspected to have been laced with methanol in the backpacking hotspot Vang Vieng. | The 28-year-old, from Orpington, south-east London, was one of a number of people taken to hospital after drinking alcohol suspected to have been laced with methanol in the backpacking hotspot Vang Vieng. |
| Six tourists died in the incident. | Six tourists died in the incident. |
| Speaking to the Sunday Times, her mother Sue White urged those travelling abroad: "Please be careful when it comes to drinks." | Speaking to the Sunday Times, her mother Sue White urged those travelling abroad: "Please be careful when it comes to drinks." |
| "Simone was a university-educated, highly intelligent person," she said. | "Simone was a university-educated, highly intelligent person," she said. |
| "If it can happen to her, it can happen to anybody.” | "If it can happen to her, it can happen to anybody.” |
| What is methanol and how does it affect the body? | What is methanol and how does it affect the body? |
| 'I knew she was going to die' | 'I knew she was going to die' |
| Ms White told the paper she received a call from the hospital caring for Simone to say she was in a critical condition after drinking contaminated vodka and needed urgent brain surgery. | Ms White told the paper she received a call from the hospital caring for Simone to say she was in a critical condition after drinking contaminated vodka and needed urgent brain surgery. |
| “I knew when I had that phone call — I don’t know what it was, call it a mother’s intuition — but I knew that she was going to die,” she said. | “I knew when I had that phone call — I don’t know what it was, call it a mother’s intuition — but I knew that she was going to die,” she said. |
| She described how she set off on a 16-hour journey to her daughter's bedside, which she said was a "terrible, terrible journey". | She described how she set off on a 16-hour journey to her daughter's bedside, which she said was a "terrible, terrible journey". |
| “I had to go through the whole flight thinking she was going through brain surgery." | “I had to go through the whole flight thinking she was going through brain surgery." |
| Ms White said she arrived at the hospital just as Simone was being taken in for the operation. | Ms White said she arrived at the hospital just as Simone was being taken in for the operation. |
| “It was horrendous. Absolutely horrendous. | “It was horrendous. Absolutely horrendous. |
| “She had such beautiful long blonde hair, which had all been shaved off for the operation. It was the worst experience of my life. There are no words, really.” | “She had such beautiful long blonde hair, which had all been shaved off for the operation. It was the worst experience of my life. There are no words, really.” |
| It later became clear that her brain function had gone, and she died on 21 November. | It later became clear that her brain function had gone, and she died on 21 November. |
| Her body is reportedly due to be repatriated this weekend, ahead of her funeral. | Her body is reportedly due to be repatriated this weekend, ahead of her funeral. |
| Australians Holly Bowles and her friend Bianca Jones were among the six tourists to die as a result of the poisoning incident | Australians Holly Bowles and her friend Bianca Jones were among the six tourists to die as a result of the poisoning incident |
| On the night she fell ill, Simone and her friends drank six vodka shots served by Nana Backpackers hostel, according to the newspaper. | On the night she fell ill, Simone and her friends drank six vodka shots served by Nana Backpackers hostel, according to the newspaper. |
| Their drinks are thought to have contained methanol - a deadly substance often found in bootleg alcohol. | Their drinks are thought to have contained 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. | 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. |
| Simone's two childhood friends who were travelling with her survived the experience, but are said to be traumatised. | Simone's two childhood friends who were travelling with her survived the experience, but are said to be traumatised. |
| Police in Laos have detained several people in connection with the death of Simone White and five others. | Police in Laos have detained several people in connection with the death of Simone White and five others. |
| However, officials in the country have released almost no details about the case, with the government keeping a tight lid on information. | However, officials in the country have released almost no details about the case, with the government keeping a tight lid on information. |
| Laos is a one-party communist state with no organised opposition. | Laos is a one-party communist state with no organised opposition. |
| Simone was a lawyer with global law firm Squire Patton Boggs. | Simone was a lawyer with global law firm Squire Patton Boggs. |
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