Death of Leah Betts

After her death, the media focused on the putative fact that it was the first time Betts had taken the drug. It arose later — though it was much less publicised — that she had taken the drug at least three times previously. Her father, Paul, subsequently became a vocal public campaigner against drug abuse. He and his wife were present at the press conference at which Barry Legg MP launched his Public Entertainments Licences (Drug Misuse) Bill, which allowed councils to close down licensed venues if the police "believed" controlled drugs were being used "at or near" the premises.

Betts died on the morning of 16 November 1995, within five days of being admitted to hospital, after her life support machine was switched off. Her funeral took place on 1 December 1995 at Christ Church, Latchingdon. She was buried alongside her mother at St Mary Magdalen church in Great Burstead, Essex.

The murder of three alleged drug dealers in Rettendon, an event dubbed the "Range Rover murders", in December 1995 has often been mentioned in the media as a potential act of revenge for the death of Leah Betts.

Leah's mother, Dorothy May Betts, had died of a heart attack in 1992 at age 45. From this stage, she lived with her father Paul Betts (a former police officer), her stepmother (a nurse), and her brother William, who was born seven years after her.

Leah Sarah Betts (1 November 1977 – 16 November 1995) was a schoolgirl from Latchingdon in Essex, England. She is notable for the extensive media coverage that followed her death shortly after her 18th birthday. On 11 November, she took an ecstasy (MDMA) tablet, and then drank approximately 7 litres (12 imp pt; 1.8 US gal) of water in a 90-minute period. Four hours later, she collapsed into a coma, from which she did not recover.