A ‘gifted’ law student was found dead in an Ibiza hotel room after a bag filled with ecstasy tablets exploded inside her stomach, an inquest heard.
Rebecca Brock, 18, was discovered in a pool of blood inside a hotel room after travelling to the party island for a friend’s birthday – and her mother believes she may have been forced to ingest the bag.
Nottingham Coroners’ Court heard how staff found Rebecca unresponsive in her room at the Hotel Marco Polo on September 28 last year.
Spanish police began an investigation after the amount of the Class A drug in her system was ‘double the level’ of a normal fatal dose.
Rebecca Brock, 18, was discovered in a pool of blood inside a hotel room after travelling to the party island for a friend’s birthday
Nottingham Coroners’ Court heard staff found the ‘academically gifted’ student (right) unresponsive in her room at the Hotel Marco Polo on September 28 last year
Today her mother Margarita Brock told an inquest how she believed her daughter may have been forced to swallow the bag of drugs.
Fighting back tears, she said her daughter would not have willingly taken the pills because she was unable to swallow tablets.
Mrs Brock revealed how her daughter had openly talked about experimenting with cocaine in the past but did not think she would’ve taken so much ecstasy in one go.
Giving evidence, she said: ‘She tried cocaine with people she knew and people around her she knew.
‘She said to her sister afterwards that she didn’t like it so she didn’t have to worry. She was very clear about what she let into her body and what she didn’t.
‘It was my understanding that there had been found material removed from her abdomen. It was described as a body pack.
Her mother Margarita Brock told an inquest how she believed her daughter (right) may have been forced to swallow the bag of drugs
The court heard Rebecca, of Nottingham, had also suffered from body image issues in the past and lost a significant amount of weight in 2015
‘The medical examiner there said there had been a bag exploded.’
When her body was found, the circumstances were suspicious enough for a major crime squad to investigate
Her mother told the court that her history with attempting to swallow medication would have led to difficulty taking the drug, particularly in such large quantities.
‘She wouldn’t take any pills easily – I can’t imagine that getting in her body at all.
‘If she didn’t have to take a pill she wouldn’t do because she couldn’t swallow it.
‘I can’t see any other way than someone making that happen.
‘Becky would tell me difficult things – she was quite open about the drugs, it was the weight issues she was less keen to talk about.’
The court heard Rebecca, of Nottingham, had also suffered from body image issues in the past and lost a significant amount of weight in 2015.
She had experimented with cocaine in the past but her mother did not think she would’ve taken so much ecstasy in one go
Nottinghamshire coroner Mairin Casey said: ‘Becky was an engaging young person, was extremely sociable and had many friends including many sustained friendships.
‘I’m also aware she established friendships in short periods of time. She had a close relationship with her family – especially with her sister.
‘She had parties at her house where friends would come and go. She was an independent young woman, she was only 18 when she went to study abroad.
‘She was a very gifted young woman – academically gifted. She didn’t seem to struggle with exams and school work.
‘She did have some issues relating to her physical health. She had some body image issues, undergoing other possible conditions.
‘She was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome in 2015. There was a remarkable, significant loss of weight in the summer of 2015.
‘Outside of school she enjoyed dance, drama and singing – she had high expectations of herself.
‘In July 2015 she had gone to Ibiza and she went again in August – so September was the third trip.
‘In July when she attended with her sister, Anika, she did try cocaine – this was not unusual for young people going to Ibiza.
‘Her sister had not taken up the offer of cocaine. The reality is in July she had experimented.
‘The trip to Ibiza in September, Becky had been taken to university in Holland and she was keen to experience the closing down parties and end of season parties.
‘She had two friends, Hannah and Ellie, celebrating birthdays in Ibiza. I don’t believe Ellie was aware Becky was in Ibiza.
‘How these bags were in her stomach we will never know.
Spanish authorities had found that Becky had died around 48 hours before she was found in her room
‘On this trip to Ibiza nobody actually saw Becky take drugs at the time – that is my understanding. What is plain is that nobody can give an explanation as to how this came into her system.’
Toxicologist Dr Stephen Morley said Spanish authorities had found that Becky had died around 48 hours before she was found in her room.
He said traces of alcohol and a ‘potentially fatal concentration’ of ecstasy were found in her body.
He added: ‘The Spanish toxicologist detected 0.54g per litre of alcohol in Becky’s system.
‘It would be consistent with Becky having a few drinks on the evening of September 22.
‘There is certainly evidence of a broken bag.
‘She would have died around half-an-hour from when (ecstasy) entered her blood stream to when she died – that is working on the assumption that she has never taken it before.
‘She would probably begin to feel very unwell.
‘There was evidence of an acute MDMA dosage – a potentially fatal concentration.
‘The most likely cause of death is ecstasy toxicity. The level of MDMA was double the reported fatal level.’
Pathologist Dr Derek Robson added: ‘The blood next to her head doesn’t lead me to believe she suffered trauma.
‘It is likely that death occurred a few hours after the package burst.’