Hair salon worker, 17, accidentally killed herself by overdosing on paracetamol

A teenage hair salon worker died after she accidentally overdosed on paracetamol tablets having complained that she was ill with a stomach ache, and inquest heard today. 

Georgia Littlewood, 17, from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, died of liver failure after apparently taking as many as three times the recommended dose of painkillers. 

The teenager had called in sick to the hairdressers where she worked at weekends as office clerk, on the morning of March 28, and was rushed to hospital in the early hours of the following morning after vomiting during the night.

She told doctors she had taken paracetamol, and although she was put down for a liver transplant her condition deteriorated and doctors were unable to reverse the damage done to the organ. 

She died on March 30 in the intensive care unit of St James' Hospital in Leeds.

The inquest into Georgia's death was told how the teenager had woken up on March 28 complaining that her stomach hurt, and after calling in sick at work went back to bed.

Her mother, Joanne Littlewood told the hearing in Huddersfield that Georgia, who had undertaken a beauty course before starting an administration apprenticeship, had previously complained of headaches after long hours sitting in front of a computer. 

She said she had previously given her daughter ibuprofen capsules to help with her headaches.

Mrs Littlewood said she later received a text message from Georgia who said she was going to spend the night with her boyfriend, Tom Keen. 

The couple watched television and went out to get food, and although Georgia said she was feeling better, she was heard being sick in the bathroom at 2am the next morning. 

Mr Keen took her back to her parent's house where they rang an ambulance and tried to get her to drink water before she was taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

Mrs Littlewood said: 'On the day she was taken into hospital she was mumbling and didn't know who I was. I knew something was wrong straight away. I believe the overdose was a complete accident. She was a very happy girl making plans to go on holiday in July.

'I don't think she would have known the correct doses for taking paracetamol and would have taken them for a headache. She would not have known the effect it would have had on her.'

There she told doctors she had taken paracetamol tablets but had not done so with any intention of causing herself harm. 

She was transferred to the specialist unit in Leeds, where she died the following day. Her cause of death was given as acute liver failure due to paracetamol toxicity.

Mr Keen said: 'She was not making any sense, she was talking but not making sense. At first I thought she was having me on. I realised something wasn't right. I woke my house mate up and we picked her up and took her home. When we got to her house we got to the door and her dad opened. He asked if she had taken anything. I confirmed she had not. She hadn't drunk any alcohol either. I went back home.

'Her mum rang later and said the ambulance had been called and she had been taken to hospital. I did not see her take any paracetamol nor any other medication and she didn't not say she had done so. No medication had gone missing.'  

Assistant coroner Mary Burke recorded a conclusion of accidental death and said: 'It seems likely to me that Georgia was not fully away of the apparent toxic effect of paracetamol which can develop over a relatively short period of time. I do not believe it was an intentional act on Georgia's part to harm herself and conclude a result of accident.

'It is important to use these circumstances to highlight to members of the public the risk that are present. I hope you will agree to me highlighting in order to avoid any one else having to go through the distress and upset you as a family have had to cope with in the circumstances.

'Paracetamol is a readily available medication across the counter but can be extremely dangerous. There are doses as identified in place for a reason. If everyone does not comply with that there can be tragic circumstances evident in this case. f you take more than the recommended dose the body cannot cope with that.' 

In a statement, Georgia's family of Huddersfield, West Yorks condemned the ease with which the painkiller can be purchased.  

'You can buy paracetamol a 19p a packet in supermarkets - yet you should only be able to buy it from a pharmacist who tells you of the dangers,' they said. 

'You should not be able to go into the shop with no one giving any advice.'

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