Rachel Whitear

Rachel Jayne Whitear was born in Weymouth, Dorset, on 6 February 1979, the younger of two children born into a middle-class household. She was raised in Withington, Herefordshire, where her family relocated in 1980. Whitear had one brother. Following the separation of her parents and her mother's remarriage, she gained a stepbrother and stepsister.

As an adolescent, Whitear devoted much of her time to raising money for charitable causes by participating in sponsored activities such as walking and swimming. She is also known to have encouraged her parents to purchase The Big Issue to donate to the homeless.{{cite news|title=Brutal End to a Life of Promise|url=https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/5694752.brutal-end-to-a-life-of-promise/|access-date=10 August 2021|work=Hereford Times|date=28 February 2002}}

Scholastically, Whitear was an excellent student; obtaining 10 GCSE passes in 1995. She was an accomplished pianist and an avid football fan.{{cite news|title=A Dreadful Waste of a Life|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/a-dreadful-waste-of-a-life-6319003.html|access-date=7 August 2021|work=The Evening Standard|date=12 April 2012}}

Whitear began using cannabis and ecstasy at the age of 14. According to a friend named Polly North, Whitear first began smoking cannabis, before progressing to occasionally taking ecstasy, largely as a means of garnering acceptance and popularity from her peers.{{cite news|title=Whitear Took Drugs for 'Respect', New Inquest Told|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2007/sep/10/drugsandalcohol.society1|access-date=6 August 2021|work=The Guardian|date=10 September 2007}} Nonetheless, her occasional teenage recreational drug use did not affect her studies, and her parents were initially unaware of her use of narcotics.{{cite news|title=Heroin Victim's Death Used as Warning|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/1848092.stm|access-date=9 August 2021|work=BBC News|date=1 March 2002}}

Following the completion of her secondary school education at Aylestone School, Whitear enrolled at Hereford Sixth Form College, where she gained two A-levels in psychology and communication studies. Five of the six universities to which she then applied to continue her studies accepted her request.

In November 1997, as Whitear contemplated which university to attend, she became acquainted with 24-year-old Luke Fitzgerald, who had been a heroin addict for three years. Shortly after their acquaintance, Fitzgerald phoned Whitear, asking her to date him. Whitear accepted, although shortly thereafter, Fitzgerald began actively encouraging Whitear to use the drug: initially smoking; later via injecting.{{refn|group=n|According to testimony delivered at the second inquest into Whitear's death in 2007, she only began injecting heroin as opposed to smoking the drug shortly before her death.{{cite news|title=Parents Give Evidence at Rachel Whitear Inquest|url=https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/1677432.parents-give-evidence-at-rachel-whitear-inquest/|access-date=7 August 2021|work=Hereford Times|date=10 September 2007}}}} Several months later, the father of a friend of Fitzgerald's held a confidential talk with Whitear's parents in which he informed them their daughter had confided in him she was "using heroin". Whitear was confronted about her heroin usage, but insisted she only used the drug from "time to time" in episodes she termed "slipping up".{{cite news|title=Mum's Plea For Answers|url=https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/1685815.mums-plea-for-vital-answers/|access-date=15 August 2021|work=Hereford Times|date=13 September 2007}}

By mid-1998, Whitear's parents had noted marked changes in their daughter's personality: she had changed from a pleasant, outgoing and exuberant young woman into an irritable, insecure and unreliable individual. Nonetheless, her mother would later insist that, although Whitear would "sell anything" to fund her habit as her addiction increased, unlike many addicts, her daughter never stole to fund her habit.

With help from drug counsellors, Whitear occasionally managed to avoid drug consumption for extended periods of time. To her family's relief, on one occasion in 1999, she chose to re-apply for a university place, opting to study psychology and sociology at the University of Bath. In August 1999, she began studying at this university, but abandoned her studies after one term as her heroin dependency increased. Shortly thereafter, in late 1999, Whitear informed her parents she and Fitzgerald were moving from Withington to Exmouth, where they had secured a rented flat in Lyndhurst Road.

By early January 2000, the two had moved to Lyndhurst Road, Exmouth, where Whitear obtained a series of low-paying jobs in locations such as a bar in Bath and a shop in Exmouth. Within weeks of this move, Whitear phoned her parents, asking to return to Herefordshire. Her parents agreed, and Whitear briefly returned to their home. Shortly thereafter, her parents returned home one evening to discover Whitear lying unresponsive on her bed; briefly unconscious from an injection of heroin.

By February 2000, Whitear had returned to Exmouth. Shortly thereafter, she informed Fitzgerald—who is known to have physically abused Whitear{{cite news|title=Wiltshire Officer's Bid for Truth|url=https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/1691638.wiltshire-officers-bid-for-truth/|access-date=15 August 2021|work=Gazette and Herald|date=15 September 2007}}—that their relationship was effectively over. In May, she secretly moved into a rented room in a small, three-bedroom terrace house at 4 Pound Street, Exmouth. On Tuesday 9 May, she left Fitzgerald a note, telling him that she needed her own space "uninfluenced by anyone, to develop a new life in." She is believed to have died the following day.

Image:Rachel Whitear dead.jpg and flaccid body, as discovered by her landlord on 12 May 2000]]

Whitear is believed to have died on Wednesday 10 May 2000. She was 21 years old. Her body was discovered by her landlord in her bedsit two days later.{{cite web|url=https://www.ipcc.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Documents/investigation_commissioner_reports/whitear_report.pdf|title=Case Summary: Operation Helix: An Investigation Into the Death of Rachel Whitear|last=Howlett|first=Paul|publisher=Wiltshire Police Professional Standards Department|access-date=7 December 2016|website=Independent Police Complaints Commission}} She is believed to have died while in the company of Fitzgerald, who would confess years later to having given Whitear the fatal dosage of heroin, and to have attempted to "clean up the scene" after she had overdosed on the drug.{{cite news|title=Rachel Whitear's "Boyfriend" 'Confessed to Fatal Overdose'|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/rachel-whitear-s-boyfriend-confessed-to-fatal-overdose-7216826.html|access-date=9 August 2021|work=The Evening Standard|date=13 April 2012}}{{refn|group=n|Some sections of the media have speculated that Whitear may have been killed by Fitzgerald.{{cite news|title=Rachel 'Killed by Jilted Lover'|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article616779.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523235100/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article616779.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 May 2011|access-date=9 August 2021|work=The Sunday Times|date=29 October 2006}}}}

At the time of Whitear's death, she was actively seeking employment, had been engaging with drug counsellors and seeking medical treatment in efforts to defeat her drug addiction. In one of the final letters she is known to have penned to a friend in early 2000, she confided her struggles, stating: "I need to stop taking heroin, but it is hard. I'm absolutely dependent on it. It's destroying me: my house; my job; my relationships with my family. I have hit rock bottom."{{cite news|title='Heroin Has Robbed Me of My Best Friend'|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1386493/Heroin-has-robbed-me-of-my-best-friend.html|access-date=12 August 2021|work=The Telegraph|date=2 March 2002}}

Whitear's body was later buried in Withington, Herefordshire.{{cite news|title='Modern Tragedy' of Rachel|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/6993015.stm|access-date=11 August 2021|work=BBC News|date=14 September 2007}}

The initial police investigation into Whitear's death was criticised for their failure to observe correct procedures, and the conclusions of the investigation—which had ruled out any form of foul play—were questioned. Fingerprints were not taken from the bedsit where Whitear had died until two weeks after police were first called to the scene and officers from the Devon and Cornwall Police force originally investigated her death without conducting a post-mortem examination upon her body. Two men—one of whom was Luke Fitzgerald—were arrested in connection with her death, however, the Crown Prosecution Service did not have sufficient evidence to pursue manslaughter charges, and both were released without charge.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/5406030.stm|title=Fresh Inquest Into Whitear Death|publisher=BBC News|access-date=5 August 2021|date=4 October 2006}}

A toxicology report upon Whitear's body revealed that the level of heroin in her bloodstream was 0.05 micrograms per millilitre; approximately one third of the 0.15 μg/ml generally considered to be a fatal dosage.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2004/feb/14/drugsandalcohol.drugs|title=Addict's Body to be Exhumed for New Tests|work=The Guardian|access-date=5 August 2021|date=14 February 2004}} As sufficient toxicological testing had not been conducted during the original police investigation, Whitear's mother decided her daughter's body should be exhumed in order that adequate post-mortem tests could be conducted.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2004/aug/04/drugsandalcohol.drugs|title=No Third Party Involved in Rachel Whitear Death|work=The Guardian|access-date=11 August 2021|date=4 August 2004}}

A second—more thorough—investigation into Whitear's death was announced in February 2004. This investigation was conducted by Wiltshire Police. On 23 March, Whitear's body was exhumed and a post-mortem conducted. The results of the inquiry were presented to Doctor Elizabeth Earland, the coroner for Exeter.{{cite news|title=Report Into Drug Death Completed|url=https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/7255267.report-into-drug-death-completed/|access-date=13 August 2021|work=Gazette and Herald|date=18 February 2005}}

In June 2005, Earland decided against holding a fresh inquiry into Whitear's death. However, the Independent Police Complaints Commission and Wiltshire Police appealed to the High Court, prompting a fresh inquest in October 2006.{{cite news|title=Heroin Girl Rachel: Now a New Inquest is Ordered|url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/daily-express/20061005/282011847848305|access-date=13 August 2021|work=Press Reader|date=5 October 2006}} This inquest was held at Devon County Hall in September 2007, and was presided by coroner Ian Arrow. The inquest heard evidence of "multiple failures" by Devon and Cornwall Police in their initial inquest into Whitear's death, and that the pathologist had chosen not to conduct a post-mortem on Whitear's body due to incorrect concerns she may have been HIV-positive.

This second inquest was unable to rule whether Whitear had administered the fatal injection of heroin herself, and returned an open verdict. Reacting to this official verdict, Whitear's parents stated: "We will never know who administered that final dose and whether Rachel was alone when she died."{{cite news|title=Whitear Probe 'Miserable Failure'|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7510934.stm|access-date=13 August 2021|work=BBC News|date=17 July 2008}}

{{quote box

| quote = "It's horrific to look at a photograph like that of your own daughter. It was a very difficult decision to release the photograph, but we thought that, if we did so, we would be using her body to help others."

| source = Pauline Holcroft, reflecting on her family's decision to release images of Rachel Whitear's body to the media. March 2002.{{cite news|title=Heroin Victim's Death Used as Warning|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/1848092.stm|access-date=11 August 2021|work=BBC News|date=1 March 2002}}

| width = 35em

}}

Almost two years after Whitear's death, her parents consented to the usage of images of her body as discovered by her landlord in a nationwide anti-drug usage campaign.{{cite news|title=A Daughter's Descent Into Heroin Hell|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1386423/A-daughters-descent-into-heroin-hell.html|access-date=15 August 2021|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=1 March 2002}} Two of the initiatives for her parents' decision were the desire to "make people think" about the dangers of Class A drugs, and to challenge stereotypes about drug abusers. Her parents and siblings also participated in a 22-minute documentary focusing on the life and death of Whitear named Rachel's Story, released shortly after the images of her body were released to the media.{{cite news|title=Parents 'May Sue Over Drug Death'|url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/52870/Parents-may-sue-over-drug-death|access-date=11 August 2021|work=The Daily Express|date=17 July 2008}}

The images and interviews within Rachel's Story illustrate the life of a normal, content and promising everyday girl, her struggles with her addiction, and the effect her drug usage had upon herself and her family. The documentary also contains the images of her body in death. The overall message conveyed is that even occasional hard drug usage could result in a similar fate to anyone.{{cite news|title=Whitear Died of Heroin Overdose, Say Police|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/whitear-died-of-heroin-overdose-say-police-555349.html|access-date=4 August 2021|work=The Independent|date=10 October 2011}}{{cite news|title=Mother's Long Struggle for Truth|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7506080.stm|access-date=4 August 2021|work=The Independent|date=17 October 2008}}

In March 2002, Whitear's stepfather, Michael Holcroft, would elaborate on these decisions: "If we can save just one child, then we'll have succeeded."{{cite news|title=Rachel's Drugs Legacy|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/hp/front/rachel-s-drugs-legacy-6318850.html|access-date=12 August 2021|work=The Evening Standard|date=23 May 2002}}

A painting of Whitear by artist Stella Vine, depicting Whitear dressed in a school uniform and with blood dripping from her mouth, drew condemnation from Whitear's parents in 2004 when the press reported the painting was to be included in an exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery. Reportedly, Whitear's mother and stepfather were "appalled" at the decision. However, the painting was not withdrawn from the exhibition.

Vine refused to apologise for painting the portrait, stating she had been inspired to create the artwork after researching Whitear's life and death and being unable to "get Rachel's image out of [my] head", adding she "should think that Rachel's family will believe that I gratuitously exploited her image", but that this was not her intention.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/3514866.stm|title=Rachel Portrait 'Appals' Family|publisher=BBC News|access-date=5 August 2021|date=16 March 2004}}

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• Death of Anna Wood
• Death of Leah Betts
• Death of Carson Price
• Drug culture
• Drug overdose
• Drug education
• Opioid use disorder
• Illegal drug trade
• Peer pressure

{{div col end}}

{{Portal bar|2000s|Biography|England|United Kingdom}}

{{Reflist|group=n}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Cite book|last1=Cartwright|first1=Peter|title=Supporting People Through A Drug- or Alcohol-Related Death|year=2020|publisher=Jessica Kingsley Publishers|location=London|isbn=978-1-785-92191-9}}
• {{Cite book|last1=Vitellone|first1=Nicole|title=Social Science of the Syringe: A Sociology of Injecting Drug Use|year=2017|publisher=Taylor & Francis Publishing|location=Oxfordshire|isbn=978-0-367-28104-5}}
• {{cite book|last1=Woods|first1=Neil|last2=Rafaeli|first2=J. S.|title=Drug Wars: The Terrifying Inside Story of Britain's Drug Trade|year=2018|publisher=Ebury Publishing|location=London|isbn=978-1-785-03745-0}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jiqj4_-a2Yw Rachel's Story], as broadcast nationwide following Rachel Whitear's death
• Contemporary [https://www.theguardian.com/drugs/Story/0,2763,1275540,00.html news article] detailing the nationwide anti-drug campaign following the death of Rachel Whitear
• 2002 BBC News [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/1848092.stm article] pertaining to Whitear's death
• 2004 Guardian [https://www.theguardian.com/drugs/Story/0,2763,1147999,00.html article] detailing the exhumation of Whitear's body for further testing
• [https://www.theguardian.com/drugs/Story/0,2763,1275540,00.html No Third Party Involved in Rachel Whitear Death]: 2005 Guardian article pertaining to the second inquest into Whitear's death

{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitear, Rachel}}

Category:1979 births

Category:2000 deaths

Category:2000 in the United Kingdom

Category:Deaths by heroin overdose in England

Category:Drug-related deaths in England

Category:Illegal drug trade

Category:People from Weymouth, Dorset

Category:People educated at Aylestone School