A SCHOOLGIRL, 15, was electrocuted when she fell onto a live railway after smoking cannabis, an inquest heard.
Amy Hursey, from Basingstoke, Hampshire, died instantly when she fell onto the track on April 20 last year.
Emergency services were called to Basingstoke train station at 5.22pm after reports of a person on the tracks.
Amy was tragically pronounced dead at the scene.
She was funny. She had a quirky sense of humour. She was very loving and she loved being with the family
Chris Hursey
The inquest was held this morning in Winchester, Hampshire.
Coroner Jason Pegg said: “Amy left the platform and landed on the live rail, causing her to be electrocuted.
“It cannot be ascertained whether Amy intended to fall from the platform, whether it was an unconscious and involuntary act, or whether she simply stumbled.
“There is a lack of clarity. But I’m satisfied that Amy had consumed a quantity of cannabis which likely diminished her cognitive function.
“I’m satisfied that the cannabis itself did contribute to Amy’s death. It diminished her cognitive function and also her reasoning, which I think led to her death.”
The inquest was shown video footage that revealed Amy waiting on the platform moments before tragedy struck.
She began marching on the spot and then fell onto the railway line.
But, the coroner acknowledged the exact circumstances surrounding the fall remain unclear.
Amy’s heartbroken father, Chris Hursey, gave an emotional tribute at the inquest.
He said: “She was funny. She had a quirky sense of humour. She was very loving and she loved being with the family.
“She was nervous about the exams, not really nervous but a bit worried, no more worried than anyone would have been.
“She was really excited about finally finishing school. She was talking about getting a part-time job in the summer.
“We were talking about what we were going to do for that summer holiday, making plans. Everything was normal. She was looking forward to everything really.”
Amy’s cousin, Kayla Whittle, who had been living with the family, told the coroner Amy had become secretive toward her parents in the months leading up to the incident.
One of Amy’s friends, who cannot be named for legal reasons, gave evidence that the teen had smoked cannabis with two friends in the months before.
The friend told the inquest she got a snapchat message that Amy had been with those friends in the hour before she fell onto the railway line.
The friend added how Amy would often drive around Basingstoke with them, where they would smoke cannabis in a car.
Both friends were present at the inquest and they denied ever smoking cannabis with Amy, including on the day of her death.
Source; NHS
Cannabis can make some existing mental health symptoms worse and has been linked with the possible development of mental health issues.
The risk factors include an underlying vulnerability to mental health issues such as family history, heavy cannabis use from a young age over a long period of time or use of high potency cannabis.
People using cannabis every day over a prolonged period may develop a tolerance of the effects. They may need more to get the desired effects or may experience dependency.
Withdrawal effects can be reported where people become dependent.
The most commonly reported symptoms are:
Inhaling any substance into your lungs can cause irritation to the delicate tissue. This includes tobacco, cannabis and vaping products.
