Tragic Death of University Student Following Halloween Rave Incident
A popular and well-loved university student has died after collapsing at a Halloween rave in Liverpool where she was seen taking the party drug MDMA. Olivia Wojciechowska, aged 19, was attending a K-Pop Demon Hunters-themed event at Blackstock Market in Vauxhall when she suffered an apparent seizure and was rushed to hospital.
Events Leading to the Tragedy
The inquest at Liverpool Coroners' Court heard that Olivia, a second-year business student at Liverpool John Moores University, attended the "The Upside Down: Rise of the Demon Hunters" rave on November 1, 2025. Before the event, she took a taxi to her friend Scarlett Tonna's house, where she revealed she had MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, in her possession.
The pair arrived at the venue around 4pm, and Scarlett reported seeing Olivia take MDMA approximately one to two hours later. Another member of their group also witnessed Olivia consuming the drug before she collapsed at around 10.05pm.
Emergency Response and Hospitalisation
After collapsing, Olivia was taken to a welfare tent where staff used bags of ice in an attempt to lower her body temperature. An ambulance was called, and she arrived at the Royal Liverpool Hospital at 11.45pm. In the emergency department, she was intubated and placed on a ventilator as her condition rapidly deteriorated.
Her liver and kidney functions declined significantly, requiring medication and dialysis. On November 3, she was approved for a liver transplant and was transferred to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham two days later. However, a CT scan on November 5 confirmed that Olivia was unlikely to survive, and she passed away on November 7 before the transplant could be performed.
Coroner's Findings and Organ Donation
Coroner Helen Rimmer recorded a conclusion of a drug-related death, stating the medical cause was multi-organ failure, acute liver failure, and drug intoxication. She noted that Olivia, a registered organ donor, had donated her lungs and heart prior to her death, saving the lives of at least two other individuals.
"Olivia did donate her lungs and her heart prior to her death, and she has given that gift of life to at least two individuals and she has saved two other people," said Coroner Rimmer during the proceedings.
Remembering Olivia
Friends described Olivia as a hilarious and popular student who was always the life of the party. Scarlett Tonna shared: "She was hilarious, she was always the life of the party. She'd always love going out and being involved in all the socials." Olivia was active in the Cheer Society at her university and enjoyed dressing up for events.
Another friend, Niamh Bosher, added: "Her first week she came as a bumble bee. Then she came as a pineapple with these massive feathers on her head. She always loved to dress up and go out."
Following her death, Olivia was repatriated to Northern Ireland, where her funeral took place at St Colmcille's Church in East Belfast on December 12, 2025. A memorial walk attracted hundreds of people, and a fundraiser in her honour received thousands of donations.
Niamh reflected: "It seemed like every time you'd go out with Liv, every five minutes you'd stop and talk to someone. She knew everyone and everyone knew her." The Cheer Society is organizing a charity event for the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, which assisted in bringing Olivia home.
