A 22-year-old estate agent died after her body shut down from a five-year addiction to ketamine, an inquest has heard. Izzy Sapherson-Moralee weighed just over five-and-a-half stone (35kg) at the time of her death. She discharged herself from hospital and 'went home to die' in April last year.
Her mother, Ann Moralee, spent 18 months trying to get help for her daughter and repeatedly warned officials that Izzy would die from her addiction. Izzy suffered from chronic pain and severe bladder damage, spending £500 a month on incontinence pads. She was twice caught taking ketamine on the hospital ward by her mother.
Izzy died from a toxic combination of morphine and gabapentin, which slowed and stopped her breathing. An infection was found in her liver but was not the cause of death. In her final moments, Izzy told her mother she wanted to recover and help others.
Ann Moralee believes there were missed opportunities to save her daughter, including when Izzy was arrested for suspected ketamine possession. She argued that the Mental Health Act should have been applied. Scott Davey from drug charity Reach said ketamine is cheap and accessible, and its long-term use creates a 'Catch 22' as users take it to manage pain caused by the drug.
