The family of a charity volunteer who died after taking a poison she bought online have questioned why police are not investigating the person who sold it to her.
Grace Nevens, 22, from Morpeth, Northumberland, visited a suicide forum before she died in hospital in Cramlington last November.
At a pre-inquest review hearing yesterday, coroner Andrew Hetherington said Northumbria Police had confirmed they are not currently looking into the former Leeds University student’s death.
Mr Hetherington said he was aware of investigations into a Canadian and a Ukrainian who are alleged to have supplied users of a suicide forum with poison.
The coroner said he had spoken to the National Crime Agency about the case.
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But Alison Seaman, instructed by solicitors Leigh Day to represent Grace’s family, told Mr Hetherington that they wanted to challenge the police’s decision not to investigate.
Ms Seaman said it was ‘difficult to understand’ why there was no inquiry ongoing when there was evidence that Ms Nevens bought the chemical online, which she took before she died.
‘It is likely the person selling it to her knew she was planning to do that,’ the barrister said.
‘She frequented a suicide forum where she was able to engage in conversations around suicide.’
Ms Seaman added: ‘She was someone who was suffering from a crisis in her mental health.
‘She was 22 and it was anticipated that she would be able to recover. She was being treated with medication.’
In those circumstances, Ms Seaman said, the family ‘fail to understand’ why there was no police investigation, and they would look to exercise their right for that to be reviewed.
She added: ‘There’s no rationale, there’s no explanation, that’s what is missing for the family.’
Grace’s parents Neil and Sharon and sister Lucy were at the hearing on Tuesday.
Mr Hetherington said that if there was a police inquiry, the inquest would have to be adjourned.
He set a provisional inquest date for March 5 and 6.
Grace’s death is one of at least 133 attributable to the same substance, according to a report by the Molly Rose Foundation and lived experience group Families And Survivors To Prevent Online Suicide Harms.
Coroners have raised concerns about either the substance or suicide forums with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Home Office, and the Department of Health at least 65 times since 2019, the report said.
Leigh Day has also written to ministers urging the Government to open an inquiry, on behalf of a group of families affected, including Grace’s.
In a tribute to her, they said: ‘Grace was a much loved daughter, sister, girlfriend, granddaughter, niece, cousin and friend.
‘She was a kind, caring soul who helped others while struggling with her own mental health.’
Need support?
For emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
Their HOPELINE247 is open every day of the year, 24 hours a day. You can call 0800 068 4141, text 88247 or email: pat@papyrus-uk.org.
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