An inquest into the death of 17-year-old Lucy Knapp heard that she may have lost control of her car after inhaling nitrous oxide from a balloon. Knapp died on June 11 when her Seat Ibiza left the road and struck a tree on Headcorn Road between Staplehurst and Headcorn, according to reports.
Two passengers in the backseat, 19-year-old Sam Elliott and 17-year-old Ashton Stock, sustained serious injuries in the crash. While Knapp was wearing a seatbelt, neither passenger was, and both have since been discharged from the hospital.
Detective Constable David Holmes, who investigated the crash, told the inquest that a Snapchat video recovered from Elliott's phone appeared to show Knapp with an inflated balloon in her mouth approximately 30 seconds before the collision. The video also reportedly showed the passengers with balloons, and several nitrous oxide canisters were found in the car's rear.
DC Holmes stated that the most likely conclusion was that Knapp's driving was severely impacted by inhaling nitrous oxide. However, a toxicology report by senior forensic scientist Rebecca Stennings found no drugs or alcohol in Knapp's system. A pathologist's report noted slightly elevated nitrate levels, but these could be attributed to factors such as a vegetable-rich diet.
Efforts to obtain information from the passengers were met with limited success. Ashton Stock reportedly provided minimal details, recalling only a visit to a Sainsbury's store. Sam Elliott and his family declined to speak with police, stating he had no memory of the incident. DC Holmes noted he could not compel the passengers to provide statements.
Knapp's father, James, expressed disappointment with the lack of information from the passengers, telling the Daily Mail that they were the only witnesses to what occurred. He stated there was no factual evidence linking his daughter's loss of control to drug use.
Lucy Knapp's mother, Carlie Shepherd, described her daughter as a "bubbly, forward person" who was against drugs. She mentioned noticing changes in her daughter's behavior after she began a relationship with Sam Elliott less than six months before the crash.
Vehicle data indicated that in the final five seconds before impact, there was initial gentle acceleration, followed by full acceleration in the last second, with no evidence of braking. The Seat was traveling at approximately 76 mph in a 30 mph zone when the airbag deployed upon impact. Police confirmed no other vehicles were involved, and the car had no mechanical defects. The inquest recorded the cause of death as multiple injuries sustained in the road accident.
Coroner Jyoti Gill stated that while nitrate levels were mildly elevated, she was unable to conclude on the balance of probabilities that these levels caused Knapp to lose control of the vehicle, leaving the exact reason for the loss of control undetermined. Knapp, who passed her driving test four months prior to the incident, is survived by her sisters and brother.