Mystery surrounds sudden death of Australian backpacker in Rome

Madelaine Crawley

Australian backpacker Madeleine Crawley died suddenly in Rome.
Source: The Daily Telegraph




AN Australian backpacker died and another is seriously ill after a suspected drug and alcohol overdose during a holiday in Italy.


The woman – named by Italian police as Madeleine Rae Crawley, 24 – arrived at San Pietro Hospital, north of Rome, at dawn yesterday but died of cardiac arrest in the emergency department.

Her female friend, who is yet to be named but is also from Australia and believed to be in her 20s, was in a serious condition after her stomach was pumped.

The women had been in Italy for a week on a Contiki tour with 50 backpackers and were staying at the Seven Hills campsite, north of central Rome.

The group of mainly young Australian backpackers had been celebrating their last night in Rome.

The women allegedly consumed drugs and alcohol.

The campsite manager said the group partied at the local disco before returning to their dorms in the early hours of the morning.

“I’m sorry for the misfortune that has struck the girl and her family, but we have never had a drug party at our camp,” Toni Altobelli told Italian newspaper Corriere.

“The camp has a normal disco nightclub, which closes at 1am. At that time we went away and the girls went back to their dorms.

“What happened then, I do not know.”

Contiki said it was deeply saddened by Ms Crawley’s death, the cause of which is yet to be confirmed.

Contiki said its staff were supporting other holiday makers on the tour.

Ms Crawley was reportedly from Tweed Heads, in northern NSW.

An autopsy is due to be completed within days.
 

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