"Tragic Loss: My Daughter Died from Poisoned Shots on Vacation, and Now We Face the Heart-Wrenching Decision to Turn Off Her Life Support"

WITH a glittering future ahead of her, high flying British lawyer Simone White treated herself to a well deserved exotic adventure to the Far East.

She planned to meet up with a childhood pal and it should have been the carefree holiday of a lifetime.

Simone was among 14 tourists rushed to hospital after drinking poisoned shotsCredit: Facebook Simone met up with her friend Bethany Clarke to travel around AsiaCredit: 60 MINUTES AUSTRALIA Sue White took two flights to be with her daughter Simone but it was too lateCredit: Supplied

But tragically Simone, 28,

She was among the six tourists who died in November 2024 after drinking free shots laced with deadly methanol at a hostel bar in the popular resort town of Vang Vieng.

Now of just £95 each for serving customers fake booze following an investigation.

And today Simone’s heartbroken mother Sue says such a pitiful amount is a cruel insult to the memory of her daughter.

Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Sue from Orpington in Kent, said: “This has ruined our lives and nothing is ever going to bring our daughter back, but £95 is an insult.

“Simone is on my mind all the time but it feels like there is nothing we can do.

“From the word go there has been no justice for our daughter. It is so corrupt out there, so while I am disappointed by this latest ruling, I’m not surprised.”

Ten hostel employees were found guilty of destroying evidence late last month, and earlier this week each of them were given a small financial penalty as well as a suspended sentence, and authorities have ruled out taking any further action.

Only one man from were produced could face legal action.

Sue was told about the devastating outcome of the court case – which was held behind closed doors in Laos – by the UK Foreign Office, the government department that deals with deaths abroad.

But the other grieving families in , and America were kept in the dark and relied on Sue to provide them with updates.

It fell to Sue to tell them about the fines via a WhatsApp group the parents had set up to support each other in the wake of the horror poisoning.

“We are all in close contact and there was uproar,” added Sue, who says this latest development has brought the most painful memories flooding back once again.

Sue is still haunted by the terror of her phone ringing at 2am when her daughter was on the other side of the world 14 months ago.

Call it a mother’s intuition, but I knew that she was going to die when I had that phone call

Sue White

After drinking free shots, Simone was having seizures and could no longer breathe on her own.

She would need brain surgery, a doctor decided, but they needed permission from a family member so Simone’s friend

“It was horrendous,” recalled Sue. “Absolutely horrific.

“Call it a mother’s intuition, but I knew that she was going to die when I had that phone call.”

Within hours Sue was on a plane out to Laos but by the time she arrived at the hospital Simone’s long blonde hair had been shaved off and she was being wheeled into surgery.

Following the lengthy and complicated operation Simone was kept alive for three days on life support in a hospital bed.

But it was too late.

Duong Duc Toan, the manager of Nana Backpack hostel dished out local vodkaCredit: AP Bethany and Simone were enjoying the trip of a lifetimeCredit: 60 Minutes Australia Foreign tourists flocked to the Nana Backpack hostel in Vang Vieng, LaosCredit: AP

Although there was no chance of a recovery, doctors refused to switch the life support machine off as it is against their Buddhist religion – but told Sue she could do it herself.

Utterly distraught, Sue had to find the strength to take the oxygen tube out of her dying daughter’s mouth and switch off the machine.

“That was the worst day of my life,” she said. “I will never forget it.

“Simone had her whole life ahead of her, it’s a tragic waste.

“She had just qualified as a lawyer, had a successful career and had everything going for her. She had just bought a new flat and had a great social life.”

Sue, Simone’s father Neil and brother Zak now remain deeply frustrated about the lack of information available from authorities in Laos – and how difficult it has been to get their questions answered by the government here too.

Newly qualified Simone had just bought her first flatCredit: Squire Patton Boggs Sue and Bethany are still hoping for justice for SimoneCredit: 60 MINUTES AUSTRALIA Workers at the hostel have been fined and allowed to leave the countryCredit: Facebook

She added: “We are constantly chasing the Foreign Office for updates, I send emails that go unanswered.

“The authorities say their hands are tied.

“We feel like there’s nothing we can do unless we fly over to Laos, but Simone would not want that.

“We will never, ever go back there.”

Simone was an associate lawyer specialising in intellectual property and technology at the American law firm Squire Patton Boggs. She had studied law at University and then went on to a fast track course at the prestigious BPP Law School in London.

and an intracranial haemorrhage from drinking local vodka tainted with methanol, a toxic substance normally found in paint thinner that is sometimes illegally mixed with alcohol to cut costs.

Holly Bowles from Melbourne was among the victimsCredit: Supplied Australian tourist Bianca Jones, 19, died after drinking fake alcoholCredit: Enterprise Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, was one of two Danish girls who diedCredit: Enterprise Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, from Denmark, was poisoned tooCredit: Instagram

The parents of the other victims also feel that there has been no justice, and are backing Sue – blasting the soft fines as ‘extraordinarily weak’ and ‘disgraceful.’

Australian too, having been given free cocktails at the same bar, said: “To think that the Laos authorities believe that those who were involved in killing our daughters is worth AUD$185 is absolutely disgraceful.

‘Betrayal beyond understanding’

“We have had no correspondence with anyone from the Laos government.

“We had no idea the court case was going ahead. For us not to be told is abhorrent.

“Our beautiful girls, and the other victims, deserve justice at a bare minimum, and a $185 fine is hardly justice.”

Holly Bowles’ father Shaun branded the sentencing as a “betrayal beyond understanding.”

Astonishingly, the under a different name.

Mark added: “Six people died in that hostel and they just open it again? It’s beyond comprehension.

Simone had her whole life ahead of her, it’s a tragic waste

Sue White

“We’ve got their 21st coming up this year, lots of milestones that come up, but we will continue to remember our beautiful girls.”

Danish friends Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald, 21, also died after they were left vomiting blood for 13 hours, as well as American James Louis Huston, 57.

Five other holidaymakers were hospitalised.

The hostel manager, Duong Duc Toan, and a bartender, Toan Van Vanng, previously denied allegations that methanol was in the drinks handed out to unwitting tourists.

and said the free shots were given to 100 people.

The hostel manager claimed other guests had not reported being ill and he took a shot in front of cops.

The backpackers hostel has now reopenedCredit: AP