The young British lawyer who died after taking shots allegedly spiked with methanol in Laos had to wait an hour for an ambulance and was ‘delirious’ by the time it arrived, her bereft mother has revealed.
Simone White, 28, from Orpington, Kent, is one of six people who died in the tragedy in the popular backpacking town of Vang Vieng last week.
She was among a number of tourists who fell gravely ill after they were handed free shots on November 12.
Sue White, her ‘devastated’ mother, shared how her ‘kind, fun-loving’ daughter and friends took ‘six shots’ each, watered down with Sprite, before falling ill and having ‘trouble breathing’.
She told The Sun how Simone and two friends took themselves to hospital the day after, but were ‘dismissed’ by medics, who told them they had food poisoning.
By the time an ambulance arrived to take them on to a private facility, Simone was already ‘delirious’, her mother said, adding ‘I think, basically, it had already affected her brain’.
Simone White was a lawyer with global law firm Squire Patton Boggs in London
Simone and her friends took themselves to the hospital when they felt ill but were ‘dismissed’
The three young women had been staying at Nana’s Backpackers Hostel in Vang Vieng
Hostel manager and bartender Duong Duc Toan (pictured) has reportedly been detained by police
Authorities are still investigating the deaths of Simone and five other backpackers in Laos after their drinks were allegedly laced at the Nana backpackers hotel.
Hostel manager Duong Duc Toan and bartender Toan Van Vanng denied diluting their alcohol with methanol when questioned.
Toan has since reportedly been detained but no charges have been filed.
The government of Laos vowed to ‘bring the perpetrators to justice’ in its first public remarks on the international incident on Saturday.
Sue White, mother to British victim Simone, told The Sun how the hostel offered free whisky or vodka shots for two hours every night.
Toan said he bought the alcohol from a certified distributor and that free shots of Tiger Vodka had been served to around 100 guests.
He said he had yet to received any complaints from other backpackers who been given shots on the night.
He also drank from one of the vodka bottles that were in use on the night to prove it was safe.
Ms White, a travel agent, said the family were ‘absolutely devastated’ by the news of their daughter’s tragic passing.
Her parents said together in an emotional tribute: ‘Simone was one of a kind and had the most wonderful energy and spark for life’.
‘She was a soul who gave so much to so many and was loved by her family, friends and colleagues’, they said.
‘Simone has been taken from us too soon, she will be sorely missed by her brother, grandmother and entire family.
‘Our hearts go out to all other families who have been affected by this terrible tragedy.’
It came after Simone’s brother Zak described how his family have gone through a ‘horrific’ time and had lost an ‘absolutely lovely’ and ‘brilliant’ sister.
Five others also died, including two Australian teenagers, an American and two Danish tourists. Another five tourists were also injured and taken to hospital.
Simone White, 28, from Orpington in Kent, died after drinking free shots at a Laos hostel allegedly laced with methanol
The hostel remains open but is not currently accepting new guests (Pictured: Nana’s Backpackers bar)
A neighbour in Orpington told Metro: ‘[Simone] was an absolutely lovely girl from a lovely family and we all feel desperately sad for them, it’s heartbreaking.
‘She was very clever and a good friend to all. She had her whole life ahead of her, what a waste.’
‘We knew her and are obviously very upset and so is the whole street.’
The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) confirmed her death on Thursday.
An officer at Vang Vieng’s Tourism Police office said no charges have been filed but a ‘number of people’ have been detained in connection with the case.
Staff at the Nana Backpacker Hostel, which is still operating but not accepting new guests, confirmed the manager and owner were among those taken in for questioning.
In a statement, Ms White’s law firm said: ‘It is with deep sadness that we mourn the tragic passing of our dear friend and colleague Simone White.
‘Simone was a talented colleague with a bright future ahead of her and someone who epitomised (our firm’s) values.
‘Our thoughts go out to all of Simone’s family, friends and those colleagues and clients who had the privilege to work with and know Simone. She will be sincerely missed.’
The FCDO also said it was also providing consular assistance to British nationals hospitalised in the incident, as well as their families.
Australian Holly Bowles (pictured), 19, passed away at a hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, after spending 10 days on life support
The pair’s football club in Melbourne said the news was ‘tragic and distressing’
In a September video, the best friends were dancing happily together just weeks before their deadly backpacking trip
Staff at Nana Backpackers Hostel have been interrogated by police who have demanded to see bottles of spirits served on the night the poisoning occurred
The FCDO said it was in contact with the local authorities regarding the British nationals affected.
Those poisoned in the incident are believed to have been served drinks tainted with methanol, which is sometimes used by disreputable bars as a cheaper alternative to ethanol.
Methanol is a colourless liquid that tastes similar to alcohol and is a byproduct of bootlegged liquor. Consuming even a small amount can lead to blindness, multiple organ failure and death.
Duong Duc Toan, manager of the Nana Backpacker Hostel, said staff were told by other guests that the women were unwell after they failed to check out as planned on November 13, and they arranged transport to a hospital for them.
He said the women had joined more than 100 other guests for free shots of Lao vodka offered by the hostel two days earlier.
He said no other guest reported any issue, adding that the alleged victims had then gone for a night out, returning in the early hours of the morning.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told parliament that 19-year-old Bianca Jones died after being evacuated from Vang Vieng for treatment in a Thai hospital.
A second Australian was reported to have died on Friday following the incident.
Australia said ‘several foreign nationals’ had been victims of methanol poisoning.
The town is a popular spot for young backpackers, especially those on a gap year or in their early 20s
Bianca Jones, 19, from Melbourne, sadly died after consuming alleged ‘methanol-laced’ drinks in Vang Vieng, Laos
Ms Jones was the fourth person to die after consuming alleged ‘methanol-laced’ drinks in Vang Vieng, Laos
The US State Department confirmed that an American had died and Denmark’s Foreign Ministry said two of its citizens also died in ‘the incident in Laos’ but neither would comment directly on a link to the methanol poisoning that killed Ms Jones.
Thai authorities confirmed Ms Jones died because of a ‘brain swelling due to high levels of methanol found in her system’.
Landlocked Laos is one of south-east Asia’s poorest nations and a popular tourist destination.
Vang Vieng is particularly popular among backpackers seeking partying and adventure sports.
Officials in Laos have released almost no details about the case, with the government keeping a tight lid on information.
The country is a one-party communist state with no organised opposition.