NEWS: news.com.au - 19/02/07 'Womans death linked to ecstacy use'

[dance with me]

Woman's death linked to ecstasy use
February 19, 2007 07:23pm


A SYDNEY woman has died after taking the party drug ecstasy at a popular outdoor dance party.

The Northern Beaches 20-year-old died after being rushed by ambulance to Mona Vale Hospital on Sunday at 5am (AEDT).

The New South Wales Police Force said the Elanora Heights woman had fallen ill at a house in nearby Warriewood.

Ambulance officers were told the woman, who was showing signs of respiratory distress, had taken MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy.

"She died later that morning," a police spokesman said.

"Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding her death.

"The cause of death has not yet been confirmed."

The Nine Network said the woman consumed the drug before attending the Good Vibrations music festival in Centennial Park on Saturday.

After leaving the inner-city venue, she consumed more pills at a house party before collapsing, it said.

Nine said three other women were badly affected by the drug, but survived.

Professor Nick Crofts, from the Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, said it was rare to overdose on ecstasy.

"It's extremely unlikely in the current circumstance, I would have thought you would have to take a lot," Prof Crofts said.

"The majority of what manifests (on the street) as ecstasy is not ecstasy.

"The majority is ketamine or amphetamines with various things, like caffeine, that are thrown in.

"It could have been a mixture of anything."

Good Vibrations did not immediately return calls for comment.

News.com.au

[EDIT:Included Link. Lil Angel15]
...

 

[Splatt]

I guess we won't know what pill it was without speculation either..psand like the Perth death, we won't know the real cause because there are rarely follow ups on this type of thing.

 

[kamakaze77]

unfortunate event, never like to hear of OD, some real scary shit. one of my good mates cousins is friends with there social group, he had partied with them several time before, said they were all never stupid with what they took, as in never consumed copious amounts and werent into harder drugs, jus usuall recreational use of e, so who knows what caused it?? the pills, or just a 1 in a million type Overdose.
id be interested to find out what pills they had for good vibes and if they will get tested by the police to serve as a posssible warning?

 

[hoptis]

Same article also appears in today's:

SMH
The Australian

 

[Splatt]

I'm sure there'll be more sniffers now at this week's event(s).

Now we all know pills can contain nasty psychoactive chemicals like PMA, or mixes of MDA and MDMA, or speed and MDxx that can greatly increase chances of harm, but what about the "inactives" that some dodgey pressers throw into their mix. I'm talking anti bioitcs, women's pills, pain killers, aspirin and other anti inflammatries.. just random expired medecines stolen from pharmacy bins, whatever. It's all going in there.

 

[Dave82]

This was reported on the news last night... very sad. They were quick to jump on ecstasy being the cause of death.

 

[hoptis]

Parents want ecstasy death to be warning
February 20, 2007 - 11:45AM

The family of Annabel Catt, who died from a suspected drug overdose after taking ecstasy at a Sydney concert, say they want people to learn from her death.

Ms Catt, 20, of Elanora Heights, on Sydney's northern beaches, collapsed at a party at nearby Warriewood on Sunday about 5am (AEDT).

Just hours earlier, she had left the Good Vibrations music festival at Centennial Park.

Ambulance officers were told the woman, who was showing signs of respiratory distress, had taken MDMA, usually found in ecstasy.

Brother Antony Catt today said family and friends were devastated by the death of "beautiful Annabel".

"We would like everyone to learn from this tragic mistake," Mr Catt said.

"We would like a positive to come out of this and that is that people think twice about putting any sort of drugs in their mouth or into their body.

"We just want it be a lesson."

Ms Catt was a part-time dance teacher at an Avalon dance school and had been a dancer with the Brent Street performing arts school since 2001. She was completing a traineeship with HCF Eyecare.

"Annabel was much loved and will be deeply missed by all who knew her," Mr Catt said.

"We wish to thank all the staff at Mona Vale Hospital, the police, and the coroner for their involvement.

"We request that our need for privacy at this time be respected."

Ecstasy, which usually contains methylene-dioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA), has been available in Australia since the mid-1980s in liquid, tablet or capsule form. However ecstasy can also contain more dangerous chemicals.

The effects on the body of ecstasy are noticeable for up to three hours. The drug increases blood pressure, pulse rate and sweating.

Professor Nick Crofts, from the Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, said it was rare to overdose on ecstasy.

"It's extremely unlikely in the current circumstance, I would have thought you would have to take a lot," Professor Crofts said.

"The majority of what manifests (on the street) as ecstasy is not ecstasy.

"The majority is Ketamine or amphetamines with various things, like caffeine, that are thrown in.

"It could have been a mixture of anything."

AAP

The Age

 

[lil angel15]

I think it's important to note that some of the media are willing to provide more sides to the story and not immediately place the blame on the drug. It also seems that Harm Reduction may finally be an approach the government and media are willing to undertake on a wider scale rather than relying on prohibition to solve a perceived problem.

Detailed below is an excerpt from the SMH link Hoptis posted above.

An autopsy will be conducted to determine the exact cause of death.

"Toxicology samples will be taken as part of [the autopsy] for analysis," Inspector David Watson, duty officer at Dee Why police, said.

"We can't say what she's died of at this stage. We'll await the result."

Paul Dillon from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre said it was too early to know for sure what type of drugs - or whether drugs at all - played a part in Ms Catt's death.

"Realistically, there have been cases in the past where everyone has been up in arms about these sorts of situations and then a number of weeks later, when toxicology results come back, it's discovered that it wasn't even drug related.''

He said ecstasy-related deaths were "highly unusual" but that they did happen.

"Until we know more about what actually caused her death, we can only put out very broad [drug education] messages, but they are important broad messages.

"This is a call to action here. We need to put out very good quality information to young people that there are very real risks associated with using these types of substances."

Mr Dillon also said drug users and their friends should always call for medical assistance as soon as trouble arose, rather than trying to deal the situation themselves.

"The NSW Premier's Department released a club drug campaign for this party season.

"One of the very strong messages in that campaign is that you are not a doctor. You need to call for help.

"Don't just try and look after yourself. You need to call for medical assistance as soon as possible.

"Regardless of what this young woman died from, that's a very important message we need to get across to people."

SMH

 

[hoptis]

EDIT: The following are posted in a somewhat-chronological order since the downtime

Agony from ecstasy
Stephanie Wilson and Saffron Howden
February 21, 2007 12:00am

Tragedy: Annabel Catt.

THE parents of Annabel Catt, who died after apparently taking ecstasy at the Good Vibrations Festival, have described their daughter as a vibrant girl who did not walk but "bounced" on air.

Talking at their Sydney home yesterday, a grieving Peter and Alison Catt said they were devastated by their 20-year-old daughter's death, and their only hope was that all young people would learn from her mistake.

The talented Sydney dance teacher collapsed at a house party in Warriewood early on Sunday suffering respiratory distress after apparently taking ecstasy.

It is thought she took the drug at Centennial Park the night before.

A security guard working at the music festival said about a quarter of the revellers were drug-affected.

"It was a big mess -- they always are," said the man, who did not want to be named. "(The security guards) ended up acting as first-aid officers."

He reported seeing drug taking and trafficking, severe dehydration, vomiting, people with bloody lips from biting down on their tongues after taking drugs, and lethargy.

But Mr and Mrs Catt of Eleanora Heights said their daughter never normally took drugs.

"She wasn't a druggie," Mrs Catt said with tears in her eyes. "If it can happen to her, it can happen to anyone.

"She was just a beautiful girl having fun and made a mistake.

"Everybody has said she would be the last person in the world you'd expect this to happen to, and we'd be the last family you'd expect it to happen to."

The popular young woman had been dancing since she was four and taught at dance schools in Mosman and Avalon.

She was trained in performing arts but had no desire to become a professional dancer, instead throwing her energies into teaching.

Peter Catt added that his daughter "brought happiness wherever she went". "She'd always come home from the day and tell us stories that would have us in fits of laughter," he said.

Mrs Catt said: "She was just the most bubbly, happy little girl."

Herald Sun

 

[hoptis]

Hallucinating, sweaty, cramping
By Stephanie Wilson
February 21, 2007 12:00

Use your heads ... the parents of drug victims Annabel Catt and Anna Wood (inset) are urging young people not to risk their lives with ecstasy. / The Daily Telegraph

THE father of a boy who was with Annabel Catt at the Good Vibrations Festival says she and a friend admitted taking a capsule which made them hallucinate, sweat and "walk funny".

The man, referred to as "Bob", this morning told 2GB radio's Ray Hadley his son spent Saturday afternoon at the festival with 20-year-old Annabel and her friend but became separated from them in the evening.

When he found them about 9pm, they were hallucinating, sweating and walking erratically, and admitted having each taken a capsule.

The man said his son took the girls outside the festival, gave them water and cooled them down.

The trio then boarded a bus to a house in Warriewood, when Annabel's legs began cramping and her arms tightened and veins popped out.

Later, at the house, Annabel appeared to be "coming down" before her condition again worsened, he said.

Her breathing became hoarse and she turned an "eerie ice blue".

Her friend showed the same symptoms but was not as badly affected.

An ambulance was called and the pair were rushed to Mona Vale Hospital, where Annabel died about 5am.

Join expert Paul Dillon leading the debate about drug use in our blog today. And hear an interview with the parents of ecstasy victim Anna Wood, whose story is told below.
(links for paragraph above)
http://blogs.news.com.au/dailyteleg...dailytelegraph/comments/join_our_drug_debate/
http://media.dailytelegraph.com.au/multimedia/2007/02/070220_ecstasy/index.html?skin=telegraph

Mrs Catt and her husband Peter said they were devastated by their 20-year-old daughter's death and hoped other young people would learn from her mistake.

The talented Elanora Heights dance teacher collapsed at a house party in Warriewood early on Sunday morning, suffering respiratory distress after apparently taking MDMA, the medical name for ecstasy.

It is thought she took the drug at Centennial Park the night before.

Meanwhile, a security guard working at the music festival told The Daily Telegraph about one quarter of the revellers were drug-affected.

"It was a big mess – they always are," the man, who did not want to be named, said. "The security guards ended up acting as first aid officers."

He said he saw drug taking and dealing, dehydration and vomiting.

Mr and Mrs Catt insisted their daughter never normally took drugs.

The popular young woman had been dancing since she was four and taught at a number of dance schools.

She was working as a trainee optical dispenser with HCF Eyecare while studying at TAFE.

Mr Catt said his daughter "brought happiness wherever she went".

"She'd always come home from the day and tell us stories that would have us in fits of laughter," he said.

Mrs Catt said: "She was just the most bubbly, happy little girl."

Brothers Antony, 25, and Gareth, 23, urged young people to learn from her mistake.

"If something goes wrong, it's not just harm to yourself but it's incredible grief for your family as well," Gareth said.

Police arrested three people for drug possession at the festival, which attracted a crowd of 36,500.

National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre spokesman Paul Dillon said ecstasy use was a growing problem among young people and 22 per cent of 20 to 29-year-olds had tried it.

Grieving father's tears for a stranger - Tony Wood's reaction

AN ALL too familiar cold, empty feeling gripped Tony Wood yesterday.

With a heavy heart, he watched dispiriting news reports detailing the drug-related death of young Sydney woman Annabel Catt.

Twelve years ago it was his daughter Anna who died - another victim of ecstasy. The parallels were considerable.

"I have a heavy heart. This beautiful girl is called Annabel. Mine was Anna, it brings it all back for us,'' Mr Wood told The Daily Telegraph.

"It is not getting any better. I don't know if the State Government even want to stop it.

"They are not doing anything. They are intent on having shooting galleries in the suburbs and needle distribution programs. For some stupid reason they don't want to bring drug use down."

Anna Wood, a 15-year-old Belrose schoolgirl, died from acute water intoxication after taking ecstasy at a dance party in 1995.

Mr Wood believes his daughter did not realise the drug was illegal, a message he has taken upon himself to spread.

He said yesterday Police should be cracking down on drug users, not just drug suppliers.

"I think we need tougher laws on the drug users so we can make people aware that this is an illegal drug," he said.

"I don't have a problem with them picking up dealers, but people don't know it is illegal and maybe if Anna knew deep down it was illegal, she would be alive today."

Mr Wood had a simple heart-felt message for the Catt family yesterday.

"We feel your pain and we know your hurt," he said.

"I thought about her family and the pain they would feel today which they would've never felt before. All we can do is pray for them. There is nothing else we can do to help."

Daily Telegraph

 

[hoptis]

Police 'not aware of bad ecstasy batch'
February 20, 2007 09:59pm

NEW South Wales Police say they have no information about an abnormal batch of ecstasy being sold in Sydney, following the death of a young woman from a suspected drug overdose at a Sydney concert.

Annabel Catt, 20, of Elanora Heights, on Sydney's northern beaches, collapsed at a party at nearby Warriewood on Sunday about 5am (AEDT).

Just hours earlier, she had left the Good Vibrations music festival at Centennial Park.

Ambulance officers were told the woman, who was showing signs of respiratory distress, had taken MDMA, usually found in ecstasy.

NSW Premier Morris Iemma today said he would seek a briefing on claims the police media unit "sat on" information about the death for several hours.

"I'd want a satisfactory explanation as to why it didn't go out," he said.

"If they've got knowledge that there's a bad batch (of ecstasy) out there then the public quite rightly would be expecting to be told about that.

"I'd want a good explanation as to why that didn't happen."

But the police media unit tonight issued a statement saying it did not have any information in relation to a quantity of drugs that had an "abnormal level of purity, potency or composition".

"In the past, police have issued additional warnings if we receive this type of information, and we will continue to do so in the future, but this is certainly not the case at the moment," the unit said.

"However, police would like to reinforce the message that people who take illicit drugs do so at their own risk."

Annabel's brother, Antony Catt, today said family and friends were devastated by the death of "beautiful Annabel" and hoped other people would learn from her death.

News.com.au

 

[hoptis]

Delay over death questioned
Jano Gibson and Ben Cubby
February 21, 2007

POLICE must explain whether they "sat on" information about the death of a 20-year-old woman who died the morning after taking ecstasy at a Sydney music festival, the Premier, Morris Iemma, says.

Annabel Catt, a dance teacher and former vice-captain of Narrabeen Sports High School, died before dawn on Sunday after attending the Good Vibrations festival in Centennial Park.

Medical officers were told Ms Catt had taken MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy.

Mr Iemma said he wanted an explanation of why her death was not made public for a day.

"If they've got knowledge that there's a bad batch [of ecstasy] out there then the public quite rightly would be expecting to be told about that."

Police released a statement last night saying they did not have any information about drugs of an abnormal level of purity, potency or composition.

The family of Ms Catt, who was training as an optical dispenser, said yesterday that she had donated her corneas.

"It's such a comfort to us, knowing that she helped people all her life and she was such a people person, that it's her eyes she's given as her last gift," Ms Catt's brother, Gareth, 23, told ABC radio. "It's the most magical gift anyone could give and we're so proud of her."

Ms Catt had gone to a house in Warriewood after the festival but began suffering respiratory distress and was taken to Mona Vale Hospital about 5am. She died a short time later.

Mr Catt said the family was struggling to absorb the news.

"It's starting to sink in a bit now. You know, you're just waiting for her to walk in the front door; the dog's waiting for her every night at 6 o'clock when she came home from work.

"We really wish that if anything positive comes out of the loss of our dear Annabel, it is that other people would think twice before taking any kind of drug."

An autopsy is being conducted to determine the cause of death.

Paul Dillon, of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, said ecstasy-related deaths were highly unusual.

"Realistically, there have been cases in the past where everyone has been up in arms about these sorts of situations and then … when toxicology results come back, it's discovered that it wasn't even drug-related."

Ms Catt's funeral will be held at the Pittwater Uniting Church on Friday at 2pm.

Sydney Morning Herald

 

[hoptis]

Fears of deadly additive in ecstasy
By Katherine Danks
February 22, 2007 05:27pm

ILLICIT drug manufacturers may be adding a highly toxic amphetamine known as PMA to increase the potency of the party drug ecstasy, a medical expert has warned.

Professor Bob Batey, clinical adviser on drug and alcohol for New South Wales Health, said the drug, which was found in the body of Annabel Catt, was a highly toxic, highly hallucinogenic amphetamine.

Ms Catt, 20, of Elanora Heights, on Sydney's northern beaches, will be farewelled at a funeral service tomorrow after she died from a suspected overdose on Sunday.

She had spent the previous day at the Good Vibrations music festival at Sydney's Centennial Park and ambulance officers were told she had taken MDMA, which is usually found in ecstasy.

While the coroner is yet to rule on an official cause of death, preliminary toxicology results showed the presence of the rare drug Paramethoxyamphetamine (PMA).

The result prompted the NSW Police Force to issue a drug warning.

Prof Batey said PMA was more dangerous than MDMA because it had a greater effect on the regulation of body temperature.

"You are more likely to get hyperthermia from an equivalent dose of PMA," he said.

"It does have a more hallucinogenic effect, so people may be adding this as a contaminant to ecstasy to give a better bang for your buck and therefore, maybe get more money for the sale of the product.

"The message is to young people, again and again, you don't know what you're buying from dealers, you can't trust them to give you exactly what they're saying, and all of these drugs are potentially lethal."

Drug Squad commander, Superintendent Greig Newbery, could not comment on the type of pill Ms Catt ingested, but said PMA can come in capsule or tablet form.

He also could not say whether Ms Catt's friends had the same pill and whether they also required treatment.

"(I'd like to) remind people that the content, potency and effect of drugs are an absolute unknown," he said.

"Taking any prohibited drug, especially manufactured prohibited drugs, people are gambling their own lives and really playing Russian roulette."

Supt Newbery also would not comment on whether a 20-year-old Mona Vale woman yesterday charged with two counts of supplying a prohibited drug was connected to Ms Catt's death.

Three people were arrested at the festival and charged with possessing a prohibited drug.

News.com.au

 

[hoptis]

Annabel drug alert as woman charged
Harriet Alexander and David Braithwaite
February 22, 2007

A highly toxic, rare amphetamine that is often passed off as ecstasy may have been responsible for the death at the weekend of the dance festival reveller Annabel Catt.

The warning comes as police charged a 20-year-old woman from Sydney's northern beaches for supplying drugs at the Good Vibrations dance festival.

The Mona Vale woman turned herself into Dee Why police station yesterday after an investigation by detectives into the supply of drugs at the event.

Police said she was charged with two counts of supplying a prohibited drug. She was granted conditional bail and will appear at Manly Local Court on March 21.

The development comes as the initial results of a toxicology report on Ms Catt's death showed the hallucinogenic drug paramethoxyamphetamine, or PMA, was present in her blood.

The dance teacher and former vice-captain of Narrabeen Sports High School died early on Sunday after apparently taking ecstasy at the Good Vibrations dance festival at Centennial Park. It is believed that two friends with her on Saturday were also treated in hospital for the effects of the drug.

Police did not release the news of her death until a day later, and said on Tuesday they did not have information about drugs of an abnormal level of purity, potency or composition.

But late last night they issued a warning to drug users and dealers after receiving the toxicology results yesterday afternoon. "We constantly issue warnings about the danger of illicit drugs, and we now renew that urgent appeal," the drug squad commander, Detective Superintendent Greig Newbery, said last night.

"People possessing or considering taking MDMA or any other substances sold as ecstasy, pills or capsules should be aware of the possible presence of paramethoxyamphetamine. Anyone taking [these drugs] is gambling with their lives."

Mr Newbery said PMA could cause a range of serious adverse effects including and increase in energy, visual hallucinations, changed consciousness, pupil dilation, increased blood and body temperature, increased blood pressure and pulse rate, laboured breathing, nausea and vomiting and convulsions, coma and death.

Police said the drug was rare, but it was occasionally sold as MDMA.

Six people died in South Australia between September 1995 and January 1996 after taking PMA, apparently without realising it was present in the ecstasy tablets they took.

"A handful" of people had overdosed on the drug in Sydney in 2004, police said. They had bought ecstasy tablets with street names including "red mitsubishi", "red death", "red killer", "Dr Death" and "death drug".

Sydney Morning Herald

 

[hoptis]

Festival was no drug shop, says promoter
By Stephanie Wilson and Holly Byrnes
February 22, 2007 02:00am

JUSTIN Hemmes has hit back at claims his Good Vibrations music festival was a "candy shop" for revellers looking to buy drugs.

Mr Hemmes spoke to The Daily Telegraph after the father of a boy who was with Annabel Catt and her friend at the festival claimed the girls each took a capsule which made them hallucinate, sweat and "walk funny".

The man, referred to as "Bob", told 2GB's Ray Hadley yesterday his son spent Saturday afternoon at the festival with 20-year-old Annabel and her friend but they became separated in the evening.

When he found them about 9pm (AEDT), they were hallucinating, sweating and walking erratically, and admitted having each taken a capsule.

"My son said it was just like a candy shop, with the people there trying to sell drugs, and they'd come up, try and sell them and then honestly, 10 to 15 seconds later, someone else would come up and try and sell the drugs cheaper," Bob said.

However Mr Hemmes rejected the drug dealing claims as "outrageous".

"For anyone to suggest we would ever condone such behaviour is just outrageous. I don't want to take the focus away from this poor girl's death, but we go above and beyond what's required to ensure it's a well-managed event," Mr Hemmes said yesterday.

At 5.30am on Sunday - about the same time as Annabel died - NSW Police released a statement commending the event and its organisers.

Police did not confirm she had died until after noon the next day.

"Public safety was of primary concern for police, who were generally satisfied with the behaviour of those who attended the celebration," the statement read.

In a joint operation between event organisers and police, three people were charged with possessing prohibited drugs.

Mr Hemmes said the event also provided substantial first-aid support, with 43 medical staff and two ambulances on site all day.

But Bob said when his son found Annabel and her friend they were "hallucinating and they were walking funny".

The man said his son gave them water and cooled them down. The trio then boarded a bus to a Warriewood house, when Annabel's legs began cramping and her arms tightened and veins popped out.

The girls had a shower and seemed to be "coming down", but Annabel's cramps returned and she changed colour, he said.

An ambulance was called and the pair were rushed to Mona Vale Hospital, where Annabel died about 5am.

News.com.au

 

[hoptis]

Drug victim Annabel laid to rest
The Daily Telegraph
February 23, 2007 07:37pm

AS drug victim Annabel Catt was laid to rest in an emotional service this afternoon, her family used the funeral to implore young people not to make her mistake.

More than 700 mourners filled the Pittwater Uniting Church spilling out the doors as Annabel’s brave father Peter urged them to think about their decision.

"I ask all of you to please consider the consequences and risks of taking (drugs)," Mr Catt said.

The 20-year-old dance teacher died last Sunday after taking a capsule at the Good Vibrations music festival.

Preliminary toxicology reports show traces of the highly toxic Paramethoxyamphetamine in her system.

Pittwater Uniting Church senior minister Alan Robinson also used the service to highlight a similar plea.

"If Annabel’s death means you pledge yourself today never to put anything in your body that wasn’t meant to be there, then her death won’t be in vain," he said.

Mixed with today’s sadness were happy memories of the vibrant young woman.

Mr Catt, wife Alison, and sons Antony and Gareth put on a brave united front as they remembered their "beautiful precious" daughter and sister.

"It was always a treasured pleasure to speak to my little sis," Gareth said.

Her friends from the Brent St dancers and singers also performed.

News.com.au

 

[hoptis]

Police urged to release drug details after festival death
Thursday, February 22, 2007. 8:42pm (AEDT)

A leading drug expert is calling on New South Wales police to make public any information they have about a drug that may have caused the death of a 20-year-old festival goer.

Annabel Catt died on Sunday morning after going to Sydney's Good Vibrations music festival and apparently taking what she thought was ecstasy.

Toxicology reports have found she had the highly toxic amphetamine PMA in her system and police are warning people it could be mixed in with some ecstasy pills.

But they say they will not identify the colour or logo of the pill Ms Catt took because they do not want to create the impression some tablets are safer than others.

St Vincent's Hospital drug expert Gordian Fulde says that information can save lives.

"It should be put out there so everybody knows that this is what they look like and this is what you don't want to touch," Dr Fulde said.

Annabel Catt's funeral will be held tomorrow.

ABC News

 

[hoptis]

'Bubbly' Annabel's fatal risk
Jano Gibson
February 23, 2007

Annabel Catt ... died after taking a drug containing PMA after a music festival.

With her infectious smile and cheeky nature, Annabel Catt could get away with almost anything.

But at last weekend's Good Vibrations music festival, the 20-year-old dance teacher tested her luck one too many times.

"We all take risks in life," her father, Peter, told the more than 700 people - many of them Annabel's peers - who yesterday packed into the Pittwater Uniting Church to celebrate her life.

"Some eat or drink too much. Some smoke, some drive recklessly ... the list is endless," he said

"Annabel took a risk. She took what she believed was ecstasy ... She risked, she died."

He implored the many hundreds of young people in the church not to endanger their lives with drugs.

Annabel died last Sunday morning after consuming a tablet laced with the hallucinogenic drug paramethoxyamphetamine, or PMA, a toxic substance which is occasionally sold as ecstasy.

PMA was blamed for six deaths in South Australia in the mid 1990s and several Sydneysiders overdosed on the drug in 2004.

Befitting a young woman who loved to "accentuate the positive", Annabel's family asked that the service be a celebration of her life.

Standing beneath a giant projection of his beaming daughter, Peter said: "From her first day in the world we were struck by her beauty."

He said she "always looked stunning ... but her true beauty came from within. She reached out to all with her generosity and spirit."

Her brother Gareth said his sister's generosity in donating her corneas had brought sight to two people and comfort to his family.

Annabel's true passion was dancing, said her mother Alison.

Even when she played basketball or netball "she danced across the court."

Her other brother Antony recalled her "bubbly, extremely cheeky nature".

"She could get away with almost anything and persuade almost anyone with a special combination of straight honesty and a cheeky smile in her face," he said, noting her remarkable ability to evade washing-up duties.

Rev Alan Robinson, who led the service, appealed to young people to resist the temptation to take drugs.

He said they would be better off donating to charities like World Vision than spending money - and risking their lives - on drugs.

After Annabel's casket was carried away a video of one of her dance performances was shown, earning her a posthumous round of rousing applause.

Sydney Morning Herald

 

[hoptis]

Hundreds farewell a smiling dancer

Grieving ... Ms Catt's father, Peter, mother, Alison, and brothers Gareth and Antony.
Photo: Lee Besford

Jano Gibson
February 24, 2007

WITH her infectious smile and cheeky nature, Annabel Catt could get away with almost anything. But, at last weekend's Good Vibrations music festival, the 20-year-old dance teacher tested her luck one too many times.

"We all take risks in life," her father, Peter, told the more than 700 people who yesterday packed into the Pittwater Uniting Church for her funeral.

"Some eat or drink too much. Some smoke, some drive recklessly … the list is endless," he said. "Annabel took a risk. She took what she believed was ecstasy … She risked, she died."

He implored the hundreds of young people in the church not to endanger their lives with drugs.

Ms Catt died last Sunday morning after consuming a tablet laced with the hallucinogenic drug paramethoxyamphetamine, or PMA, a toxic substance that is occasionally sold as ecstasy.

It was blamed for six deaths in South Australia in the mid-1990s and several Sydneysiders overdosed on the drug in 2004.

Ms Catt's brother, Gareth, said her donation of corneas had brought sight to two people and comfort to his family.

Her other brother, Antony, recalled her "bubbly, extremely cheeky nature".

"She could get away with almost anything and persuade almost anyone with a special combination of straight honesty and a cheeky smile on her face," he said.

Ms Catt's mother, Alison, said dancing was her daughter's passion. After the casket was carried away a video of one of Ms Catt's dance performances was shown, earning her a posthumous round of applause.

Sydney Morning Herald

 

[Mr TIMO]

"Taking any prohibited drug, especially manufactured prohibited drugs, people are gambling their own lives and really playing Russian roulette."

maybe if there is just one bullet in a chamber that can hold millions of rounds...