9 May 2011

Bedbug treatment may have killed Sarah Carter

10:03 pm on 9 May 2011

Family and friends of Sarah Carter, the young New Zealand woman who died after falling ill in a Thai hotel, have been shocked to learn that a bedbug treatment may have killed her.

Ms Carter died while staying at the Downtown Inn in Chiang Mai in February, and two friends travelling with her fell seriously ill.

A scientist, Ron McDowall, says swabs taken from their hotel room have revealed unusual quantities of the harmful toxin chlorpyrifos, which is used in a treatment for getting rid of bedbugs.

Ms Carter's father, Richard Carter, says it's the strongest evidence yet to explain his daughter's death.

Rick Langlands, whose daughter Emma Langlands fell seriously ill, says it's frightening to think exposure to the chemical could have killed her too.

TV3's 60 Minutes programme travelled to Chiang Mai late last month to investigate, and Dr McDowall, who specialises in hazardous chemicals, asked the team to bring back swabs from all over the hotel room that Ms Carter stayed in.

Dr McDowall now says independent testing in New Zealand has found traces of chlorpyrifos in the swabs.

He told Morning Report the chemical is commonly used across Asia against bedbugs and cockroaches, normally in small quantities. The swab tests indicated however that it had been in the Thai hotel room in large quantities.

Dr McDowall says the pathology of Ms Carter's death is identical to one of chlorpyrifos poisoning.

Deaths not coincidence - father

Richard Carter told Nine to Noon the tests appear to have been done very thoroughly, and he believes they are finally very close to the truth.

He says it proves to him the deaths are not coincidence, despite the local authorities continuing to argue they are.

Mr Carter describes the use of the chemical as outrageous negligence.