'Beautiful, outgoing girl' dies at dance party
Authorities and the family of a teenager who died of a suspected drug overdose at a Sydney dance festival will decide this week if a post-mortem examination will be carried out.
Georgina Bartter, 19, was found unconscious and convulsing at the Harbourlife festival at Mrs Macquarie's Chair on Saturday.
Friends reported the teenager, one of 5200 people at the festival, took one and a half pills, before she died of organ failure.
A "beautiful, outgoing girl", Georgina would not have taken drugs knowingly, her family said.
Superintendent Mark Walton says a report is being prepared for the coroner.
"(A post-mortem) is a matter for the coroner and the family and that will be determined next week," he said.
Photo: @EllisJago via Twitter
An autopsy will be carried out to find what was in the pill that contributed to her death.
The teen from Longueville on Sydney's north shore was taken to St Vincent's Hospital just before 5pm, but suffered multiple organ failure and died.
Police arrested 78 people at the waterfront dance party for drug offences.
Superintendent Mark Walton said he's concerned large electronic dance parties are closely associated with illicit psychoactive drugs.
"It does not matter what location they are held in, there is no doubt the nature of the entertainment is intrinsically linked to that drug use.
"She fell to the ground more or less and then people started waving down the security and paramedics," witness Andrew Demetriou told 7News.
"Quite simply, you do not know what you're taking."
In a statement, Harbourlife organisers said their thoughts were with the teenager's family.
"We can hardly imagine the pain and heartbreak they must be feeling and they have our deepest sympathy," a statement on Facebook said.
Organisers said a paramedic was with the girl a minute after she collapsed.
A first-aid tent at the festival included paramedics and an emergency doctor.
Police are asking anyone with knowledge about synthetic substance sellers to come forward.
The Bartter family said Georgina would never have taken the drugs knowingly.
