Mum Warns of ‘Killer’ Drug After DaughterS Death at 25
A mother is speaking out about the dangers of ketamine after her 25-year-old daughter,Beth Ashton,died following a long-term addiction to the drug.Natalie Ashton described how ketamine “sucked the life” out of her daughter, leaving her “extremely thin and frail” before her death in November last year.
Natalie revealed she was unaware of the extent of Beth’s struggle, noting her daughter was “high-functioning” and managed to conceal her addiction for a meaningful period. “I was shocked she was able to hide it from people for so long,” she said.”Last summer, she went extremely thin. In August, she was in the hospital and just broke down and told me she had an addiction. She couldn’t hide it at this point, she was so thin. My four-year-old weighed more than her.”
The drug took a devastating physical toll on Beth. Natalie explained, “It just sucked the life out of her. It got to the point where I think she knew she was going to die. I didn’t know anything about ketamine… She was incontinent, wearing adult diapers. She told me it had taken over her life and she just needed more and more.” Beth reportedly received deliveries of the drug at her home, transferring money to her dealer.
“She withdrew from everyone. She was so frail, she couldn’t walk in the last few months.My world just shattered the day she died. It’s like her little body gave up,” Natalie added.
Now, Natalie is steadfast to raise awareness about the risks of ketamine, stating the drug “destroyed” her family. She urges parents to be vigilant for signs of addiction, including frequent urination, cramps, and powder residue around the nose.
“Beth was my best friend… She was the life and soul of the party and loved by so many. She’s left a massive hole,” Natalie said.She hopes to establish a support hub for young people struggling with addiction and advocate for increased access to treatment within her community, warning, “If something isn’t done, there’s going to be a wave of grieving parents all over the world from this.”
