Heart-breaking last text from ‘diet pill’ victim

A student sent a text message saying she knew she was going to die after taking toxic “slimming pills” and driving herself to hospital, an inquest has heard.

Eloise Parry, 21, apologised to her university lecturer for “being so stupid” in the heart-breaking message, sent around four hours before her death.

An inquest in Shrewsbury was told Ms Parry, who had a history of bulimia, died after taking eight unlicensed tablets containing dinitrophenol (DNP), which she bought online.

Shropshire Coroner John Ellery, who ruled that the death was accidental, said he would be writing to the Government urging a review of the classification of DNP, which is marketed on-line as a “fat burning” pill.

The inquest heard that a website marketing DNP – an industrial chemical historically used in explosives, dyes and fungicides – had been closed down but “popped up again in an almost identical format” hours later.

A police investigation is continuing to establish who supplied the tablets, which may have originated in Europe or Canada.

The inquest heard that Eloise, from Shrewsbury, died within hours of taking eight DNP tablets in April this year.

In the text message, read to the court by Det Sgt Andy Chatting, Ms Parry 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 am going to die. No one is known to survive if they vomit after taking DNP. I am so scared.”

The message, sent at 11.31am to a lecturer and tutors at Glyndwr University in Wrexham, where Ms Parry was on course for a first class degree in childhood and family studies, continued: “I am so sorry for being so stupid.

“Thank you for everything. I never deserved it. Please pass on my absolute appreciation for all that you have done for me.

“Thank you more than words. Ella.”