THE MOTHER of a bright teenager described how she tried in vain to get her daughter off heroin before it killed her.
Catherine Longstaff, 15, had been on the verge of sitting her GCSE exams and pursuing her dream of becoming a doctor when her mother found her dead in her bedroom.
An inquest into the Bishop Auckland teenager's death was held at the town's magistrate court last week, when her mother Olwen said she guessed her daughter had tried the drug.
She tried to wean her off heroin and Catherine had not taken it for some time before she took the dose that killed her.
On May 5, last year, Mrs Longstaff noticed Catherine had returned from an evening out with slurred speech. They arranged to go shopping for clothes for her school leavers' party before Catherine went to bed. But the next morning she discovered Catherine dead in her bedroom with needle marks on her arm.
DC Tony MacDougal, of Bishop Auckland CID, said they had followed up a number of leads during their investigations. But he said they had exhausted all lines of inquiry and there was insufficient evidence to prosecute anyone.
South-West Durham and Darlington Coroner Colin Penna recorded a verdict of misadventure.
He said: "The tragedy is that sometimes nowadays 15-year-olds imagine they're adults or young adults, when they're still children and as children parents want to protect them from many of the problems which are endemic in society now."
In a statement released by Catherine's relatives after the inquest, they described their devastation. "Cathy was a beautiful and talented girl and our very precious daughter and sister. She was much loved and is greatly missed by all her family and friends. Losing her has devastated our lives."
They also thanked the police for their efforts in combating the 'ever growing drug problems' in the town and urged people to help police to stamp out drugs.
"We would urge anyone with knowledge or information that may help to prevent a similar tragedy ever happening again, to assist in any way they can."
* Police have organised a drugs awareness evening for parents and carers at Parkside Comprehensive School, Willington, on Tuesday, April 30, between 7pm-9pm.
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