Pregnant woman, 35, died after being found on canal towpath

A 35 year old pregnant woman tragically died due to a brain haemorrhage caused by the use of monkey dust. Harvey was found unresponsive along a canal towpath and was 37 weeks into her pregnancy when she passed away at Royal Stoke University Hospital on 20 June, 2023, a week after being admitted.

Nicola Harvey, from Hanley, was initially placed in an induced coma upon her arrival at the hospital on 13 June, 2023. Despite efforts to save her, the decision was made to turn off her ventilator, reports Stoke on Trent Live.

An inquest this week concluded that her death was drug-related.

North Staffordshire area coroner Emma Serrano said: "Nicola suffered a bleed to the brain caused by the use of monkey dust. In relation to how she passed away, the evidence explains how she used monkey dust which caused a haemorrhagic stroke, causing fits and causing pressure, and she was unable to recover from that and passed away. Nicola passed away as a result of using monkey dust and her death will be recorded as in relation to drugs."