Thursday, August 29, 2013

Waiting around to find out how she died is unbearable': Parents' agony over mystery death of private schoolgirl, 17, who fell ill at Reading festival

Esme Blore taken unwell at last weekend's festival
Discharged from hospital but collapsed at home and died on Monday after being readmitted
Police investigating drug link to 'unexplained' death
Esme had been excited about going to the festival with friends for weeks before

'Unexplained death': Esme Blore was taken to hospital on Saturday

A public schoolgirl died after becoming ill at last weekend’s Reading Festival.
Esme Blore, 17, came home early on Saturday feeling unwell and was taken to hospital.
She was discharged but collapsed at home on Monday and was rushed back to hospital, where she deteriorated rapidly and died.
Police are treating her death as ‘unexplained’ and are investigating whether it could be linked to drugs, while her local newspaper reported her drink may have been spiked.
Esme attended the festival with a group of friends and posted messages on social media in the days running up to the event, saying how excited she was.
Speaking from their home in Stevington, near Bedford, her parents said it was ‘unbearable’ waiting to find out how and why she died.
Esme’s father, Sebastian Blore-Rimmer, 48, said: ‘At the moment we are in limbo. We don’t really know what to do until we find out how and why she died.
‘We just want to know the facts and at the moment we don’t know anything. Waiting around is just unbearable.’
Her mother Sharon, 44, added: ‘I could give all the tributes in the world but nothing is going to bring my baby back.’
Last night friends, including fellow pupils from the private Dame Alice Harpur School (now Bedford Girls’ School) where Esme was a pupil, wrote tributes on a Facebook page set up in her memory.
One wrote: ‘Esme, I can’t believe you’ve been taken away from us! You were such an amazing person and one of the nicest and most down to earth girls I have ever met!

Excited: Esme had been posting messages on social media as the Reading festival approached saying how much she was looking forward to going

‘From when we were younger to now, you never failed to make me laugh and smile! I’ll never forget my times with you, Esme! Nothing will be the same without you, you will always be loved and forever missed. Rest in peace, beautiful.’
Another wrote: ‘Esme, you have no idea how many people you have affected with your spirit and love – people who didn’t even know you for long have posted on this page, and I hope you know how much everyone will miss you and love you. You have made a mark on all those who know you.’
A police spokesman said: ‘Thames Valley Police was made aware of the death of a 17-year-old girl from Bedfordshire in hospital on Monday night.
‘There has been some speculation about the cause of her death and whether it is linked to her attendance at Reading Festival at the weekend, and officers are liaising with Northants Police to establish the timeline of events.’
The festival’s organisers said the cause of Esme’s ‘sad death’ was ‘not known at this time’, and gave their sympathy to her family and friends.