A YOUNG woman who was found dead in a friend’s flat had a “highly toxic” level of prescription drugs in her body - but questions remain about how the drugs got into her system.

Police are still investigating after Naomi Reid died in a flat in Preston Road, Brighton, on the afternoon of Thursday, September 24, last year.

The 21-year-old, who was homeless at the time of her death but had previously lived in Selsey, had stayed overnight at her friend Layla Jones’ flat.

At the inquest into her death, held at Brighton Coroner’s Court on Wednesday, the court heard Naomi, her partner Rory Campbell and another friend, Sam Wilson, had all stayed at Ms Jones’ flat and had been up drinking until about 5am.

Mr Campbell had woken up at approximately 11am and had checked on Naomi, who he believed to be asleep, and had covered her with a blanket as she seemed cold.

After returning from a shop to buy breakfast supplies, Mr Campbell found Naomi was unresponsive and called an ambulance at 1.04pm.

Paramedics reported her airway was blocked and she had vomited. They began CPR but confirmed Naomi had died at 1.16pm, and police were called to the scene.

A toxicology report found Naomi had a level of alcohol in her blood consistent with intoxication, and evidence of cocaine and cannabis use - but also a significant level of methadone, a powerful prescription drug used for pain relief or to treat heroin addiction.

Naomi had not been prescribed methadone by her GP or any other agency, the court heard.

She had previously been diagnosed with Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder and had suffered with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in the past.

Prior to her death Naomi had been prescribed the anti depressant Fluoxetine and it was agreed she would seek psychological help, as well as support through the Clock Tower Sanctuary services for homeless people in Brighton.

DS Peter Davis said there had been no evidence of intravenous drug use at the scene, but there were containers of methadone tablets around the flat, which had been prescribed to Ms Jones, including empty methadone containers.

Mr Campbell, Ms Jones and Mr Wilson all gave statements at the scene, but DS Davis reported they were still intoxicated - particularly Ms Jones, who was also “quite distressed”, and Mr Wilson.

Ms Jones told police she had not known Naomi long but the pair had “become close in a short space of time”.

Mr Campbell later gave a witness statement to police and said he “could not imagine Naomi just taking the methadone, but there had also been no mention of her being offered it”, and he did not know how she had come to take it.

DS Davis said: “Mr Campbell did not think she would take it on her own.”

Police arrested Ms Jones on December 18 and she has been released under investigation, while officers are still looking to speak to Mr Wilson.

Speaking at the inquest, Naomi’s mother Georgina Greenland said: “Naomi was always open with me and she would tell me when she had taken cannabis for example.

“But the one thing she would never do was heroin - she had always stressed to me her views on that were very strong.

“It just does not add up. I’m really sorry but I know my daughter very well and I just don’t think she would have taken it.”

The police investigation into Naomi’s death is still ongoing, but assistant coroner Sarah Clarke decided not to adjourn the inquest.

She said: “I have physical evidence about how she came by her death, but what we don’t have an answer to is how these drugs got into her system.

“Either someone has given it to her and she’s taken it of her own free will, or someone has put it in her drink, or she saw it and took it anyway.”

The coroner recorded Naomi’s medical cause of death as methadone toxicity, with the presence of alcohol as a contributing factor.

She said: “I do not believe the cocaine or cannabis contributed to her death.

“Toxicology showed a level of methadone consistent with severe, possibly fatal toxicity. It remains unclear why or how she came to consume methadone.

“I’m satisfied her death should be recorded as related to drugs and alcohol.”