Glyndwr student texted ‘I think I’m doing to die’ after accidental diet pill overdose

A 21-year-old girl who died after an accidental overdose on toxic diet pills predicted her own death in a tragic final text to her university lecturer just hours before she died, an inquest heard.

Eloise Parry had taken eight highly toxic Dinitrophenol, or DNP, which she had bought on the internet where they were advertised as diet pills.

She died five hours after driving herself to hospital on the morning of April 12 after doctors realised there was no antidote for the dangerous tablets, also known as DNP.

The inquest heard the Glyndwr University student had struggled with body image problems and issues with her eating before taking the unlicensed diet pills. One one occasion she had warned a friend that if she didn’t go to an eating disorder clinic she would die.

Eloise Parry “burned up from the inside” after swallowing eight Dinitrophenol pills, which contain industrial chemicals usually used in pesticides and explosives.

Yesterday an inquest heard how she sent a heartbreaking text message on the way to Royal Shrewsbury Hospital to her tutor at Glyndwy University, in Wrexham.

She apologised for being “so stupid” and admitted she was scared before going on to declare: “I think I’m going to die.”

The message, read out to the Shrewsbury Crown Court by Detective Sergeant Andy Chatting, of West Mercia Police, said: “I screwed up big time.

“Binged / purged all night and took four pills at 4am. I took another four when I woke and I started vomiting soon after.

“I think I’m going to die. No-one is known to survive if they vomit after taking DNP.

“I’m so scared. I’m so sorry for being so stupid. Thank you so much for everything.

“I never deserved it. Please pass on my absolute appreciation to all that the tutors have done for me. Thank you more than words. Ella.”

Eloise, who was “obsessed” with her body image, had taken four DNP tablets at 4am that morning before popping another four when she woke up.

The court heard Eloise, who had a history of bulimia and self-harming, had been taking the DNP pills for a month before she died.

The “bright” university student had even researched the unlicensed drug and knew about the possible dangers and side-effects.

Det Sgt Chatting told the inquest Eloise had bought some of the deadly pills in US Dollars from a website using her PayPal account at 2.28pm on April 4.

Searches of her phone and laptop revealed that later the same day the student had go online to research the dangers and symptoms of DNP.

Shockingly, it also emerged she had  purchased more DNP just two hours after she had taken already four pills on the day of her death.

Det Sgt Chatting added: “I have information to suggest that supplier is elsewhere in Europe and the source of the DNP may be in Canada.

“At this stage it’s too difficult to say where the drug may have been coming from.”

Detectives are working with the Food Standard Agency and Interpol to help shut down sites which sell DNP, which is “essentially a pesticide”.

He added: “A distinction needs to be made between what is a slimming tablet and something which purports to be a slimming tablet which this really isn’t.”

The inquest also heard Eloise predicted her death when she spoke to her a close friend less than a week before she died.

In a statement which was read to the coroner, Jade Patricia Andrews, 21, said Eloise showed her “at least 20” of her red and yellow DNP pills when they met up on April 8.

She added: “She told me the pills were making her legs sore from muscle deterioration.

“She told me she had taken DNP but I didn’t know what it was.

“She gave them to me to have a look at. I saw at least 20 red and yellow capsules and a yellow powder in the bag.

“She said she wanted to get into an eating disorder clinic and if she didn’t she would die.

“She told me she had been getting them from Germany over the internet using her PayPal account.

“I thought if she continued to take DNP she would die. I didn’t think she was in the frame of mind to take her own life the last time I saw her.”

Eloise’s mother and younger sister both told the coroner they did not believe she had committed suicide.

This was also echoed by her GP, Dr Carla Ingram, who told the hearing the student was “obsessed” with her body image.

Tragic size 10 Eloise, who was 5ft 10ins, had moved out of the family home and lived in a flat on her own in Shrewsbury, Shrops.

Speaking outside the court her mum said: “Eloise was an independent soul who was carving her way through life with difficulty, exploring the world and trying to make something of herself in the process.

“Eloise decided that even though she had been told DNP was dangerous, being slimmer was worth the risk.

“She was convinced the dangers were being exaggerated and some days she even thought she was being lied to about it. She was wrong.

“I would implore anyone even considering taking DNP or something similar not to do so.

“These substances are sold by people who don’t care about your health, they just want your money.

“Please don’t do it. Looking good should never cost you your health or your life.

“DNP. Do not purchase. Do not partake. Do not please. Deaths not pleasant.”

After her death, it emerged Eloise had posted a string of messages on Facebook describing her troubled past.

At 12.51am on April 11 – the day before she died – she appealed for help to raise money for a charity she was closely involved with in her home town of Shrewsbury.

She wrote: “Please help us. We are a non-profit self-help group for women who struggle with self-harm issues.

“This group means the world to me and has helped me overcome some of my many demons.”

Although a written statement from friend Jade Andrews told the inquest Eloise had suffered from depression and been taking cocaine last December “to feel better”, the coroner was satisfied Eloise had not intended to take her own life.

In his closing statements, coroner John Ellery said: “DNP is a dangerous toxic and fatal substance.”