Mother's appeal after drug death

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The mother of a 19-year-old who died after taking ecstasy at a party has pleaded with other teenagers to think twice before taking the drug.

Danielle Gibbens was staying at a friend's house in Limavady when she collapsed and suffered a massive heart attack on Thursday.

Tests are being carried out to determine the exact cause of Danielle's death.

Her mother, Mary, is certain she had taken ecstasy.

"Danielle was a typical teenager, she was happy one minute, angry the next. She was full of life," she said.

"Her friend said she left her house and then she came back and collapsed.

"I know she smoked grass, but I don't think she ever took Es before.

"Her friend said she didn't, but that night when she came back she told her friend she had taken three E tablets."

Heart failure

Mrs Gibbens said the sight of her daughter lying unconscious in hospital would be enough to put anyone off taking drugs.

"We went to the hospital and the machine was breathing for her.

"She was unconscious, her heart was failing and her kidneys were failing.

"The doctors couldn't bring her round, they tried their best but they couldn't do anything."

"If you had seen Danielle in the hospital and Danielle lying in a coffin, a young girl with 50 to 60 years ahead of her, you wouldn't take them."

Mrs Gibbens said she will never forgive the dealers who sold the drugs to her daughter.

"I felt mad as hell, I was angry at her for taking those things, but I was angrier at whoever had given them to her.

"I would love for everybody knows these people that are selling (these drugs) to tell the police and maybe get rid of some of it, because they are just scum who are selling them," she said.