27 Jan 2016

Cause of teen's death unknown - coroner

6:19 pm on 27 January 2016

The cause of death of a teenager found dead in her bed six years ago remains a mystery, despite her parents believing a vaccination is to blame.

Jasmine Renata, who was 18, died in September 2009 in a sleepout at her home in Upper Hutt.

Coroner Garry Evans today released his findings into her death and ruled the cause was unknown.

In his findings, he said a post-mortem could not find any sign of what may have caused her sudden death.

"From time to time pathologists carrying out post-mortem examinations of the bodies of young persons who die suddenly and unexpectedly are unable to assign a cause of death. Sadly this is such a case."

Mr Evans said Miss Renata's parents believed her HPV vaccinations may have contributed to her death, as she complained about pains in various parts of her body, a racing heart beat and her hair falling out after receiving her three injections of Gardasil.

She had received the last injection of the vaccine six months before she died.

However, there was no evidence to suggest it caused her death, and a heart condition was more likely to have played a part.

Mr Evans said her family did not wish to undergo tests to see if there was there was a chance a heart condition was a factor, meaning he could not exclude that possibility.

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