A British woman killed herself with a poison she bought from Amazon after using an online chat site to make a suicide pact with other members, an inquest has heard.
Chloe Macdermott, 43, killed herself with an unnamed 'product' ordered in the United States in 2021 after joining an online forum that 'encouraged' suicide.
She had agreed on the night of her death to carry out the deed with fellow members, one of whom was also British.
Chloe, who was married, had been “struggling with her mental health for a number of years” and had used the internet to research ways to end her life as she became “increasingly suicidal”, the inquest heard.
Following her death, Paul Rogers, assistant coroner for Inner West London, wrote to US tech giants Google and Amazon to raise the alarm about access to such websites and the ease with which deadly substances can be purchased.
Chloe Macdermott, 43, killed herself with an unnamed 'product' ordered in the United States in 2021
She had arranged to carry out the act on the night of her death with fellow members of an online forum that 'encouraged' suicide
Chloe (right), who was married, had been 'struggling with her mental health for a number of years' and had used the internet to research ways to end her life
In a Prevention of Future Deaths report, Mr Rogers highlighted that the unnamed website used by Ms Macdermott had no age or other restrictions to prevent access to children, vulnerable teenagers and vulnerable adults.
He also noted that there were no “prominent signposts” offering help and that there was a lack of “effective management” to remove the harmful content on the website.
Mr Rogers also questioned how Ms Macdermott could buy a product – the nature of which was redacted in his report – on Amazon and later ingest it, causing her death.
He expressed concern about the “availability” of such products on the Internet and how they could be purchased in the United States for individual use – without “effective border and/or customs controls.”
The inquest in May heard that Ms Macdermott had been 'struggling with her mental health for several years prior to her death'.
She had become “increasingly suicidal” and used the internet to research ways to end her life.
“On or about May 21, 2021, she formed an association with two other individuals with whom she intended to end her life,” Mr Rogers said. 'She had bought [REDACTED]using Amazon US.
“On May 22, 2021, while her husband was away, she contacted those she had spoken to about committing suicide and it was agreed to take action that evening.
The inquest in May heard that Ms Macdermott (left) 'had been struggling with her mental health for several years prior to her death'
She had become 'increasingly suicidal' and used the internet to research ways to end her life
'Chloe and another person in another part of Britain took it [REDACTED]around midnight between May 22 and 23, 2021.
'Chloe died in the early hours of May 23, 2021 from complications of [REDACTED] toxicity on her bed in her house.”
The coroner concluded that Mrs Macdermott committed suicide.
In addition to a letter to the vice-presidents of Google and Amazon, he has also sent his report to Home Secretary James Cleverley, Health Minister Victoria Atkins, Culture Minister Lucy Fraser and the police.
They have until February to respond to his concerns.
Mr Rogers said: '[Online forums] encouraging suicide, assisting by providing information about methods of suicide, assisting suicide by providing information about it and thereby potentially facilitating the commission of a criminal offense in the United Kingdom.'
About the chat room – which he did not identify – he said: '[REDACTED]is a forum that allows material to be exchanged and viewed within its open chat rooms, encouraging, aiding, advising and obtaining suicide through the provision and exchange of information and methods.
'There are no age or other restrictions to prevent access to children, vulnerable teenagers and vulnerable adults. There is no clear signage to organizations where help is available to prevent suicide.
Chloe (pictured) took the unnamed substance around midnight between May 22 and 23
She died in the early hours of May 23 on her bed in her home while her husband was away
“Posts are being posted by users containing details of suicide methods without effective oversight to remove such harmful content.”
The substance caused Mrs Macdermott to commit suicide. He said he had concerns about its availability “over the internet and its delivery to individual users in Great Britain with a non-commercial or agricultural use.”
He also expressed concern about “the ability of UK users to make purchases [REDACTED]via Amazon in the United States and to be delivered in the United Kingdom without effective border and/or customs controls.”
He added: 'Chloe was able to buy the used product online and have it delivered to her home in the UK. Investigation revealed that the product had been purchased via Amazon in the United States.'
“In my opinion, action must be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe your organization has the power to take such action.”