Mum’s Heartbreaking Warning After Daughter Dies from Drug She Thought Was Cocaine

A grieving mother has issued a heartfelt plea to tourists, urging them to resist persistent drug dealers while on holiday, after her daughter tragically died from a deadly cocktail of drugs in Thailand. Anita Turner, 64, is mourning the loss of her 36-year-old daughter, Rebecca, who passed away on March 15 after unknowingly consuming a mix of nine different drugs. Rebecca and her boyfriend, Sam Melnick, were found dead in their Bangkok hotel room.

Anita, from Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, is determined to raise awareness about the dangers of drug use abroad. “Please, whatever you do, please don’t take something. It’s really not worth the risk. This is happening so much. There is a massive drug problem out there and you just don’t know what you’re getting or how strong it is; you need to be really careful,” she implored, reported by the Mirror.

Rebecca had been in Thailand for several months and was set to return home on April 16. She messaged a friend on March 15 to say she had purchased cocaine, but hours later, both she and Sam were found lifeless.

Anita shared her devastation: “My heart is just broken in two – I can’t believe I’ll never see her again. Every morning I wake up and see a picture of her and just cry and cry. It’s killing me. The pain of losing a child is indescribable. You can’t imagine such pain until it happens to you.”

Describing the prevalent drug problem in Bangkok, Anita warned: “People are always coming up to you offering you drugs. It’s all over the place. That road is particularly bad – a boy died of the same thing just a day before. So many people are dying and people need to know about this.”

The Thai authorities later confirmed that Rebecca’s system contained nine different substances, including opiates, morphine, codeine, noscapine, benzodiazepines, and diazepam. Sam was found lifeless in bed, while Rebecca was discovered on the floor, likely trying to reach the bathroom.

Frustrated by the handling of the case, Anita said: “The Thai authorities were useless and unhelpful. They said I could have all her stuff back in three months, but it took over six. I’m sure they blacked out the bits where it said what drugs were in her body. They don’t want people to know how bad the problem is out there.”

Rebecca’s remains were repatriated, and her family held a funeral on May 10, followed by a Buddhist memorial in September. Funds were also raised for a Thai school where Rebecca had volunteered.

Through tears, Anita added: “Bec is just so, so beautiful. She loved to help others. This is such a trauma: so painful and so shocking. I just want to tap people on the shoulders and tell them: just please don’t take anything.”

Her message is a clear and urgent warning to all tourists to stay vigilant and avoid taking risks that could have tragic consequences.