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A woman who died at the home of a real estate boss after a Christmas party had consumed a toxic cocktail of drugs, including ecstasy and cocaine.
Hoia Ann Mulligan, 57, known as Bella, had been out celebrating the end of the year with her husband and friends in Wellington.
In the early hours of the morning, she was so intoxicated and incoherent that those with her at a central city bar considered calling an ambulance.
Instead, they took her back to where she was staying – and less than three hours later, she was dead.
A coroner’s finding, made public on Friday, reveals the sales and marketing professional – remembered as a “dancing queen” and “the life of the party” – accidentally overdosed on alcohol, MDMA (also known as ecstasy), cocaine and a synthetic cathinone that mimics the effects of MDMA, known as 3-Methylmethcathinone.
The finding said that on December 10, 2021, Mulligan attended a Christmas party at her husband’s car repair business, Motor Doctors, in Johnsonville where she drank and, according to a witness, took a small amount of MDMA she was given.
Stuff previously reported the party was attended by dozens of people, including a senior police officer.
About 10.30pm Mulligan, her husband John, and some friends headed to Vinyl Bar in Courtenay Pl, where celebrations continued. The Mulligans planned to stay with their friend, Harcourts Johnsonville franchise co-owner Paul Ellis, at his home on The Terrace, rather than making the lengthy trip back to their Kapiti Coast property.
As the night progressed, those with Mulligan noticed she was intoxicated, the finding said. At first, they weren’t concerned. She appeared drunk, but happy and energetic. But by 1am, she could no longer stand up, was incoherent and very sweaty.
According to the finding, there was a discussion about whether to get her medical help or call an ambulance.
KEVIN STENT/Stuff
Testing revealed alcohol, MDMA, cocaine and a synthetic drug in Hoia Mulligan’s blood.
Instead, Mulligan’s husband and two of her friends put her in a car and took her back to Ellis’ home.
Ellis said when he arrived there about 2.50am, Mulligan and her husband were still awake. Mulligan looked drunk, he said. About 40 minutes later, Mulligan’s husband sought help from Ellis, saying she wasn’t breathing.
An ambulance was called, but she died at the scene.
Mulligan’s husband told police she “had been ‘hyper’ and ‘incoherent’ and suddenly went limp as if she was going to sleep or was having a heart attack”, the finding said.
Paramedics who responded to the 111 call were told by those at the scene that Mulligan had been drinking and had taken MDMA and cocaine that night.
Abigail Dougherty/Stuff
Police announced a real-time drug screening tool for officers to use while working on the frontline in 2020 (Video first published July 30, 2020).
In clothing belonging to the Mulligans, police found a metal cardholder, which contained a white powder in a zip-lock bag and a small spoon and a metal straw. Mulligan’s husband said it looked like a cardholder that belonged to his wife. The powder was analysed and identified as 3-Methylmethcathinone. The other items were swabbed and contained traces of cocaine and MDMA.
Toxicology testing revealed alcohol, MDMA, cocaine and 3-Methylmethcathinone in Mulligan’s blood.
A pathologist who performed the autopsy said her death was due to “acute mixed drug intoxication”.
During their investigation, police were unable to determine when or where Mulligan consumed the 3-Methylmethcathinone or the cocaine. They found no evidence her drink had been spiked, as was suggested by some witnesses, and “no criminal liability could be attributed to any person leading to the death of Ms Mulligan”.
Coroner Katherine Greig said she was satisfied that any drugs Mulligan had intentionally taken were for “recreational purposes”.
She made no recommendations in her finding and didn’t issue any warnings about drug use.
John Mulligan declined to comment as “it is very personal and sad for me”.
Ellis said: “Bella was a dear friend of mine for over 50 years. Her death came as a complete shock to myself and my family and we all miss her very much.”
Stuff previously reported the high-ranking police officer who attended the Christmas Party was interviewed about what he knew of any drug use at the event.
He previously declined comment.
MDMA is a popular party drug in New Zealand. In recent years, police have voiced concern about the rise in synthetic cathinones, which mimic the effects of MDMA and have resulted in numerous overdoses and the deaths of some people.
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