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| Whitear inquest raises questions | Whitear inquest raises questions |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Heroin-user Rachel Whitear could have been with someone else when she died, a jury at a second inquest into her death has concluded. | Heroin-user Rachel Whitear could have been with someone else when she died, a jury at a second inquest into her death has concluded. |
| Jurors said she did die from a heroin overdose, but said they could not know whether she injected herself. | Jurors said she did die from a heroin overdose, but said they could not know whether she injected herself. |
| Miss Whitear, 21, was found dead at her flat in Exmouth, Devon, in May 2000. | Miss Whitear, 21, was found dead at her flat in Exmouth, Devon, in May 2000. |
| The inquest was adjourned on Thursday after a new witness came forward - but no fresh evidence emerged and the jury recorded a narrative verdict. | |
| Family reaction | Family reaction |
| Exeter Coroner Ian Arrow said: "This death clearly attracted attention because the original medical cause of death was unascertained. We now have a medical cause of death." | Exeter Coroner Ian Arrow said: "This death clearly attracted attention because the original medical cause of death was unascertained. We now have a medical cause of death." |
| He said many organisations had learned from the death of Miss Whitear and had modified procedures, which he hoped would help to promote better practices in future. | He said many organisations had learned from the death of Miss Whitear and had modified procedures, which he hoped would help to promote better practices in future. |
| Speaking after the inquest Rachel's mother, Pauline Holcroft, said: "The jury's findings just confirmed our greatest fear - that we may just never know who else was there when Rachel died." | Speaking after the inquest Rachel's mother, Pauline Holcroft, said: "The jury's findings just confirmed our greatest fear - that we may just never know who else was there when Rachel died." |
| In the first inquest, held in 2000, the coroner recorded an open verdict. | In the first inquest, held in 2000, the coroner recorded an open verdict. |
| The new inquest, with a different coroner, was ordered last year. | The new inquest, with a different coroner, was ordered last year. |
| At a hearing in the High Court, Lord Justice Maurice Kay said the original coroner should not have released the body for burial before a post-mortem examination was carried out. | At a hearing in the High Court, Lord Justice Maurice Kay said the original coroner should not have released the body for burial before a post-mortem examination was carried out. |