An inquest heard that a brilliant A* student with a “electric personality” was killed by ketamine and alcohol only hours after beginning her new life at university.
Jeni Larmour, 18, a successful student and classical vocalist who was about to start a degree in planning and architecture at a prestigious university, was characterised as “a model child” by her former headmaster.
However, on the first night in her student apartment on campus at Newcastle University, the adolescent ingested a deadly dose of the anaesthetic medicine coupled with alcohol.
Paramedics discovered Jeni’s body at 5 a.m. on October 3, 2020, by which time it was obvious she had passed away.
Dr. Nigel Cooper, a pathologist at the home office, testified at the inquest in Newcastle that Jeni had a blood alcohol level that was 2.5 times the legal limit for driving and that she also had 1.3 milligrammes of ketamine per litre of blood in her system.
She had ketamine levels that were “below the range of levels that would generally cause death,” according to a toxicologist, and her alcohol consumption would have resulted in “moderate intoxication” in a “average social drinker.”
The hearing was informed that the combination of both, however, was sufficient to kill a teenager with the world at her feet.
According to Dr. Cooper, a fatal combo of alcohol and ketamine caused the death.
“How used a person is to a drug like ketamine is the most crucial factor,” he continued. “It would have a stronger effect if a person was not used to its effects.”
Even though Jeni was discovered at 5 am, the inquiry learned that she had been discovered “stiff” by another student as early as 10 pm the night before.
“The paramedics seem to have been persuaded she was quite plainly dead,” Dr. Cooper said during the hearing. “Normally, if they feel there is any spark of life, they will attempt resuscitation.”
When she was discovered at around 5 am, “Hypostasis discoloration would suggest she had been dead for some hours.”
Jeni, who came from Newtonhamilton in County Armagh, was a brilliant student at the famous grammar school Royal School Armagh, which she had aspirations to join since she was nine years old.
In spite of her youth, Jeni had been successful and travelled widely, according to her mother Sandra, who testified at the court.
She rose to the position of deputy head girl at school and had the singing ability to pursue a career. Jeni participated in a Tall Ships race around Great Britain and was a senior army cadet.
She attended Trinity School in London, where she earned an advanced diploma in classical studies while gaining four A* A levels.
