Parents Pay Tribute To Dead York Teen

24 April 2012, 10:00 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

The parents of a 16 year old girl from York whose death last week is believed to have been drugs-related pay tribute to their "beautiful" daughter.

16 year old Poppy Rodgers, a student at York College was pronounced dead at York District Hospital in the early hours of Friday after paramedics were called to a house on Tang Hall Lane at about 11.25pm the night before.

A post mortem has been carried out but further tests are need to find out the cause of death.

An inquest is expected to open and adjourn later this week.

A 21 year- ld man who was also admitted to York District Hospital in a serious condition in the early hours of Friday was allowed home on Sunday.

The two people who were arrested in connection with this suspected drugs-related death investigation - a 26 year old woman and a 23 year old man from York - have been released on conditional bail as police enquiries continue.

Family tribute to Poppy

Poppy’s parents have released this statement:

“Poppy was a bright, young girl with the world ahead of her. She had a personality that charmed everyone and from a very young age put a smile on the face of everyone who met her.  She had two loving parents and a family that would provide her with everything, and all the support that she could possibly need.

“Sadly, along with her open nature came a certain naive view of the world, and Poppy would trust everyone that she met in her all too short life.  Over the last year, she was able to be influenced by those outside her family who didn’t have her best interest at heart.  She came into contact with people, much older than her, who encouraged her to make bad choices and we regret that the result of this is what we are dealing with today.

“We have lost a beautiful, funny and charming daughter and we miss her terribly.”