Rachel Whitear

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A school photograph of Rachel.

Rachel's discoloured body collapsed in the foetal position.

Rachel Whitear (1979 - May 2000) was a British student from Ledbury, Herefordshire who died following a heroin overdose. Her death in May 2000 led to a large-scale anti-drugs campaign in Britain, particularly in secondary schools, when her parents allowed a police photograph to be shown publicly – it showed her discoloured body collapsed in the foetal position. The school campaign was centred on a 22-minute video called Rachel's Story. The campaign was seen as an equivalent of the anti-ecstasy drive undertaken after the death of British school girl Leah Betts in 1995 and a parallel incident culminating in the death of Anna Wood in Sydney, Australia.

Rachel was twenty-one years old when she died, having been found dead in her bedsit in Exmouth, Devon, by her landlord. The image portrayed in the campaigns was that of a normal, everyday girl, with the message that it could happen to anyone.

The initial police investigation was slated after correct procedures were not followed, with fingerprints not taken until two weeks after they were first called to the scene. Blood tests also revealed the presence of only 0.05 micrograms per millilitre of heroin, one third of the 0.15 μg/ml which is believed to be the fatal dosage. Because the case seemed to have been solved, no post-mortem examination was ordered. Two men were arrested in connection with her death, but were released without charge. Rachel's body was exhumed on 23 March 2004, and a second investigation, by Wiltshire Police, this time including a post-mortem, led to an "open verdict". In October 2006 the High Court ordered there be another inquest^[1], and filled court papers with regards the investigations suggest Rachel was killed by her boyfriend of the time ^[2].

A painting of Rachel by Stella Vine, showing her with blood coming from her mouth, caused controversy during the second investigation when the police backed the calls of Rachel's parents for it not to be part of the Saatchi Gallery exhibition, New Blood. It was, however, not withdrawn^[3]