Dominic Smithers
The family of a woman who died after eating a synthetic cannabis gummy have said they will 'never come to terms with her death'.
Damilola Grace Olakanmi, from London, and her friend bought the sweets, which were made with a synthetic cannabinoid, using a messaging app on 29 March this year.
They both then ate the sweets, which came in 'Trrlli Peachie O’s' packaging.
However, soon after taking them at her family home in Ilford, the 23-year-old became critically ill, and she was rushed to Queen’s Hospital, Romford, where her mum, Wunmi, kept a bedside vigil.
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But sadly, Damilola, a business law undergraduate at the University of Hertfordshire, died on Saturday (2 April).
Speaking to the Evening Standard, relative Richard Taylor said it was a 'tragic' loss and served as a warning to others about the dangers of drugs.
The 75-year-old said: "Wumi has lost her only child - she has nothing now.
"They had to hold her up because she broke down every time a friend came to the house to give support.
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"It’s a tragic warning to all young people about how they live their lives. They should resist drugs.
"Damilola was a promising young woman who should be looking forward to her future and having children of her own. She was studying law."
Another family member, known as Dunni, said: "The family will never come to terms with this. We need to know what happened.
"We don’t want Damilola’s memory to be just like that. You want her to be remembered as the girl who asked everyone, 'Are you okay and do you want anything?'"
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A post-mortem will be carried out in due course, the Metropolitan Police have said.
Damilola's friend, a US student staying in the UK, has since been discharged from hospital.
A 37-year-old man was arrested and charged with possession with intent to supply a Class B synthetic cannabinoid, being concerned in the supply of a synthetic cannabinoid, and possession with intent to supply a psychoactive substance.
Police have now issued a warning regarding the gummies, which are thought could be linked to the case of another woman from Tower Hamlets, who was also taken hospital after eating a cannabis sweet recently.
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Chief Superintendent Stuart Bell, of the Met’s East Area Basic Command Unit said: "Please do not buy or consume these products. They are illegal and, because of the child-friendly packaging, they can pose a risk of accidental consumption.
"The particular batch of sweets were contained in packaging featuring Trrlli Peachie O’s branding. It has not been confirmed at this stage where the sweets were manufactured.
"Drug dealers harm communities and risk the safety of individuals. We will take positive action to target those engaged in this activity as well as those found in possession of these substances.
"Anyone with information about people selling illegal products such as these is asked to speak with local officers, call police on 101 or, to remain anonymous, contact Crimestoppers."