Drama claims 2 lives

Coke and pregnant: 18-year-old died in the bath

The sad incident that cost the life of an 18-year-old woman and her unborn child occurred in Zwettlbad.

(Bild: Schindler Klaus)

A tragedy occurred in the Waldviertel region that only a few people knew about until now: it began with the collapse of a young woman in the Zwettlbad swimming pool at the beginning of February and ended with the extinction of two lives - drugs are also said to have played a role.

What happened? The Zwettl district police command has no record of it. However, the district town, as the operator of the pool, confirms that on Thursday afternoon, February 6, the collapse of a young woman in the checkroom triggered a Red Cross intervention.

First aiders quickly on the scene
"Our staff notified the emergency services immediately. A nurse from the sauna area was also called in. A doctor, who was swimming at the same time, also provided first aid until the emergency services arrived," explained the town of Zwettl in response to an inquiry from "Krone" about the deployment of first aiders. After the Red Cross team had been on site for three quarters of an hour and had given the woman medical treatment, she was taken to Zwettl hospital.

Not a happy turn of events
According to witnesses, the young woman's partner was also present and provided the helpers with important information. After the courageous intervention of first aiders and the rescue team, the only thing that could be determined at the hospital was that the 18-year-old was brain dead. She was at the beginning of a pregnancy. Although it is not always necessary to know this at this early stage, the couple must have been aware of it. In addition to the tragic death of the young woman, the young life in her womb was also extinguished.

Did the cocaine cause the death?
What was confirmed to the "Krone" is that the woman is said to have taken cocaine. And not just once. A cerebral hemorrhage is assumed to be the cause of death. Cocaine greatly increases blood pressure and could have triggered this. Whether this was actually the case is difficult to answer. However, forensic pathologist Christian Matzenauer (see below), who is a sworn and court-certified expert, has established a clear link between cocaine and bleeding.

Not just a tragic case
Dark memories are now being awakened in the Waldviertel: almost exactly two years ago, a 14-year-old and a 17-year-old girl died at a "drug party" in Heidenreichstein in the district of Gmünd. Although there were no records of a drug scene in the small town, another 19-year-old girl had died three years earlier in an apartment there.

The 18-year-old's untimely death is of little consolation: As an organ donor, she will enable other people to survive - and hopefully live a long life.

Experte warnt:

Suchtgift erhöht das Blutungsrisiko

Cocaine use is a known cause of non-traumatic, i.e. non-violent, cerebral hemorrhages. The mechanism is assumed to be the known blood pressure-increasing effect of cocaine, which can lead to the rupture of cerebral arteries and subsequent bleeding into the brain tissue.

There is clear and documented medical evidence of a link between the use of cocaine and cerebral haemorrhages.

Dr. Christian Matzenauer ist Facharzt für Gerichtsmedizin und Top-Sachverständiger.

Bild: Privat/ZVG

In a large retrospective study of patients with non-traumatic cerebral hemorrhage, it was shown that cocaine-positive patients have higher blood pressure and more severe cerebral hemorrhage on average on admission to hospital than cocaine-negative patients. Cocaine-positive patients also have a poorer prognosis with regard to permanent damage and a threefold increased risk of dying from the consequences of the cerebral haemorrhage during acute treatment in hospital.