A CO Armagh student died of a suspected drugs overdose just hours after her mother had left her at university accommodation, it has emerged.
Jeni Larmour from Newtownhamilton (18) died at halls of residence at Newcastle University on Saturday.
She was found unresponsive at around 6am and police said she is "believed to have taken a quantity of ketamine and was pronounced dead at the scene".
It emerged yesterday that her mother Sandra had left her daughter at the university accommodation on Friday night, before returning home to Co Armagh.
She received the devastating news of her daughter's death just hours later.
WATCH: "I'm incredibly concerned about the rise in drug-taking among young people during pandemic" First Minister Arlene Foster pic.twitter.com/M1c1ilvF1D
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Ms Larmour, a former deputy head girl at The Royal School Armagh, has been described as a "model pupil". She was due to begin a first year architecture and urban planning course.
She was one of two 18-year-old women who died in Newcastle University student accommodation over the weekend. Police believe the second teenager, who died on Sunday, had also taken ketamine.
Newcastle University said both women were thought to have been on campus for less than 48 hours.
Police are also probing the deaths of a 21-year-old male student at Northumbria University and an 18-year-old man, who was not a student, in nearby Washington.
Both men are believed to have taken MDMA.
A spokesperson for Newcastle University said: "We are shocked and saddened to learn of the death of one of our students and our welfare teams are offering support to those affected."
Northumbria Police arrested a total of 10 people and carried out searches of student accommodation using drugs dogs.
Following Ms Larmour's death, an 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of supplying a Class B drug and later released on police bail.
Police also later arrested another two men, aged 18 and 20, on drugs offences. Both were released on bail.
First Minister Arlene Foster has said she is “incredibly concerned” about a rise in drug taking among young people during the pandemic.
“I have to say it’s something that I as First Minister intend to look into, work with the statutory agencies to try and find a way forward.
“I know it’s the easiest thing in the world when you’re bored and you’ve nothing to do, to look for something different and to try something different.
“But I appeal to you, look at the devastation that has been caused by the death of Jeni Larmour, a young woman who left Newtownhamilton in Co Armagh to go to university in Newcastle and goes out as I understand it on her first night when she has arrived to study architecture and takes a drug which is obviously a bad batch from what I can understand because I think four young people have died in that area.
“And that young woman has now lost her life and her parents have lost an outstanding young pupil as I understand it from her headmaster who I was speaking to today.”
Chief inspector Steve Wykes said: "This weekend we have seen the tragic loss of four young lives and our thoughts continue to be with the family and friends of those who have sadly died.
"Although our investigations are at an early stage and we continue to establish the circumstances around these tragedies, we want to reiterate our warning to people against taking drugs for recreational use.
"The consequences could cost you your life."
