Tragic Death of Hair Salon Owner After First Cocaine Experience
Francesca Phillips, a 34-year-old hair salon owner, tragically died after using cocaine for the first time during a New Year's Eve celebration. The incident, which occurred on December 31, 2022, has sparked an inquest revealing significant failures in emergency response and paramedic conduct.
Fatal Decision to Try Cocaine
Francesca, known as Franki, and her husband Darren decided to "do something new" to ring in the new year. Darren purchased a gram of cocaine for £80, despite neither having recent experience with the Class A drug. Franki had never used cocaine before, while Darren had not touched it since his teenage years.
The couple spent a quiet evening playing video games, with Franki consuming three Disaronno and Pepsi drinks. They each snorted two small lines of cocaine approximately two hours apart, and Franki took "a couple of drags" from her husband's cannabis.
Rapid Deterioration and Ambulance Delays
Around 10:30 PM, Franki began complaining of backache and started vomiting. The pain migrated to her shoulders, and shortly after midnight, she requested aspirin. By 1 AM, Darren called 999, reporting that Franki's chest was tightening and she might be having a heart attack.
Her condition worsened rapidly. Darren made a second emergency call at 2:10 AM, describing Franki as "turning blue and struggling to breathe." The operator promised an ambulance within 18 minutes but apologized for the delay as Darren pleaded for urgency.
By this time, Franki's sister Laura and her boyfriend Benjamin had arrived. Benjamin made two additional 999 calls before paramedics finally arrived at 2:34 AM—a full 90 minutes after the initial emergency contact.
Failed Resuscitation and Controversial Decisions
Paramedics began CPR when Franki went into cardiac arrest. Despite 45 minutes of resuscitation attempts, she was declared dead shortly after 3:30 AM. An investigation later revealed that specialist critical care paramedic Fred Thompson, the most senior clinician on scene, made decisions "difficult to justify."
Thompson decided against transporting Franki to hospital, contrary to the initial crew's plan. He also improperly used an ultrasound machine to assess whether resuscitation should continue, misinterpreting the device's readings. Thompson resigned from the ambulance service in 2023 and faces potential disciplinary action from the Health and Care Professions Tribunal.
Inquest Findings and Legal Consequences
Pathologist Dr. Adnan Al-Badri determined the provisional cause of death as cardiac arrest due to a coronary artery spasm caused by cocaine use, stating the drug played a "significant" role. Detective Sergeant Tom Kenney identified dealer Jack Budden as the cocaine supplier. Budden received a two-year suspended sentence for supplying a Class A drug and was later jailed in 2025 for unrelated drug offences.
No action was taken against Darren Phillips, with authorities considering it a "joint enterprise" and noting prosecuting the grieving husband wouldn't serve public interest. Kathryn Taylor, head of quality governance for the ambulance service, acknowledged the response time exceeded the 18-minute target for Category 2 emergencies like suspected heart attacks.
Family Outrage and Warnings
Darren Phillips expressed profound regret, urging others: "Just don't do it." Franki's family described her as "the most beautiful, kind-hearted person," an animal lover and avid reader interested in astronomy. They criticized Thompson's conduct, with Darren accusing him of "playing God" and Franki's sister Victoria citing a "lack of respect and cowardice" in his post-incident behavior.
Coroner Caroline Sumeray noted the difficulty in pinpointing a single factor beyond cocaine use, warning that drug use is increasingly common among young people on the Isle of Wight. She issued a stark message: "Drugs kill, and we don't know what we're taking. A beautiful young woman died, and for what?"
The inquest continues as the family seeks answers about the delayed response and paramedic actions that fateful night.
