A TEENAGE girl took her own life after swallowing a poison she ordered online from Ukraine, a coroner has ruled.

Sophia Gurung, 16, was described as a ‘quiet, hard-working and positive student’ who attended Queen Anne's School in Reading, where she boarded during the week.

The teen was pronounced dead in the early hours of July 26 last year following a ‘sudden and mysterious’ collapse while staying at her home in Abingdon with her parents over the summer term.

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Coroner Darren Salter told an inquest at Oxford Coroner’s Court on Tuesday (August 19) that a police investigation found that Sophia had ingested a lethal chemical she managed to order online and have delivered to her home address.

The poison, which we choose not to name, is believed to be linked to more than 130 UK deaths since 2019 and has raised concerns about the online exploitation of vulnerable people by unscrupulous ‘poison sellers’ abroad.

Mr Salter told the inquest: "During a search of Sophia's bedroom, conducted with her parents' consent, a package of white powder was located in Sophia's personal handbag, which was wrapped in polystyrene.

"It appears Sophia has ordered and received this package and has ingested its content."

The inquest said that Sophia had been suffering from ‘low mood and some suicidal thoughts’ for several years and was being assisted at school by a counsellor to whom she talked weekly, as well as her GP.

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At the end of June 2023, she had sat her final GCSE exam and ‘felt positive about her results’.

Mr Salter said: "The last time she was seen by her counsellor, she was observed to be visibly relieved that her exams had finished, relaxed, and more open to speak, more free.

"She and the counsellor talked about things she could do over the summer term that would give her more time to herself, like walking the family dog."

However, the police investigation later found Sophia had already ordered the poison online, which she received in a parcel at her home the next day on June 30.

Her father, Nishan Gurung, told police he woke in the middle of the night to the ‘sounds of Sophia in clear distress’.

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He called 999 and performed CPR until paramedics arrived. She was rushed to the John Radcliffe Hospital but was sadly pronounced dead at 2.18am.

A toxicological examination found high levels of the poison present in her body prior to her death.

 Following Sophia's death, a spokesman for Queen Anne's School said it was ‘shocked and saddened’ by their student's sudden passing.

For 24/7 hours support, contact the Samaritans by calling 116 123 for free or visit samaritans.org. The NHS's round-the-clock mental health line can be contacted by calling 111. In an emergency, call 999.