An aesthetics doctor drowned in the bath after taking a cocktail of drink and drugs when her boyfriend had a one-night stand with another woman, an inquest heard.
Dr Rielle Longhurst, 30, was devastated when the ‘love of her life’ Charlie Procter strayed during a trip to France.
She left notes for her mum Phyllis and dad Graham as well as sister Georga before lighting a scented candle, drinking wine and taking an overdose.
But assistant coroner Jean Harkin said she couldn’t be sure she had meant to end her life and said it was more than likely a cry for attention, wanting to hurt Mr Procter ‘like he’d hurt her.’
The inquest heard that Dr Longhurst was one of five siblings and was a talented grammar school pupil who had been inspired to become a doctor after suffering an injured knee as a child.
She read medicine at the University of Liverpool and qualified in 2017, initially working for the NHS.
But a statement from her father Graham Longhurst explained that she had sometimes struggled with the work because she was a sensitive person.
He said: ‘One of the reasons she didn’t like being a doctor was she was so empathetic and she found it hard to forget her patients’ pain and suffering.
Dr Rielle Longhurst, 30, was said to have been devastated when the ‘love of her life’ Charlie Procter strayed during a trip to France
The aesthetics doctor was found drowned in the bath after taking a cocktail of drink and drugs
Assistant coroner Jean Harkin said it was not certain Dr Longhurst had meant to end her life and said it was more than likely a cry for attention from Mr Proctor
‘She’d go to extra lengths to make them feel comfortable for these reasons.
‘She was an all or nothing sort of girl.’
Dr Longhurst began working as an aesthetics doctor at a branch of Dr MediSpa in London in June 2023 where she specialised in non-surgical cosmetic treatments including fillers, Botox and micro-needling.
She had met boyfriend Mr Procter in 2021 and Mr Longhurst said of her daughter’s feelings for him: ‘Charlie was the love of her life, everything she’d ever wanted.
‘Charlie strayed and it really upset her.’
A statement from Mr Procter revealed that on the night before her death, the couple had argued about his previous infidelity, a one-night stand that had taken place in France.
Inner West London Coroners’ Court heard how he had been to Dr Longhurst’s flat in Notting Hill, west London, on August 21, 2024, to give her a letter but she was unhappy and ‘made remarks about wanting to commit suicide’ but he didn’t think she was being serious.
During the argument, Dr Longhurst took his keys to the flat and he left just after 10pm and returned to sleep at his parents’ house in Surrey.
The inquest heard that Dr Longhurst was one of five siblings and a talented grammar school pupil who had been inspired to become a doctor after suffering an injured knee as a child
Mrs Harkin said: ‘He woke up late and found she wasn’t answering her phone.
‘This was unusual for her as she always used social media.’
Mr Procter drove back to the flat the next day – August 22 – but couldn’t enter as it was locked and his keys were inside.
‘He noticed the bathroom window was open and looked through to see Rielle in the bath, submerged, unconscious, not breathing and obviously deceased,’ Mrs Harkin said.
He squeezed through the window, removed Dr Longhurst from the bath and took her to a front bedroom where he attempted CPR.
London Ambulance Service paramedics were called at 12.03pm and were on scene five minutes later, but Dr Longhurst was already dead.
Det Con Jorge Sobral, of the Met Police, said the bath Dr Longhurst was in was close to overflowing.
He told the court there were two glasses of wine found, one with rose in and one empty with a powder residue inside.
Dr Longhurst, pictured with Mr Proctor, began working as an aesthetics doctor in June 2023 where she specialised in non-surgical cosmetic treatments
In a hallway plant pot empty packets of medication were found, as well as a half empty packet in the bathroom.
Letters were also discovered which were addressed to her parents and sister Georga.
Her mobile phone was found propped up by the taps on the bath.
Det Con Sobral said: ‘Mr Procter said he had an argument with her about his previous infidelity.
‘During that argument, Rielle took his keys.
‘Rielle was sending him photos of them together, but when he awoke he saw his messages hadn’t been read and she hadn’t been on social media, which was unusual.’
CCTV confirmed that Mr Procter had left London when he said he had.
Dr Longhurst’s beloved dog Arthur was also discovered at the property and family said they found it hard to believe the pet lover would have left him to fend for himself.
A toxicology report found Dr Longhurst had ethanol, or alcohol, in her blood at 124mg per 100ml. The drink drive limit is 80mg
Dr Longhurst’s friend Tory Kaye said that she last saw her on August 21 at 3.20pm.
She had been messaging the woman that Mr Procter had cheated on her with to get details of their night together.
‘It was upsetting Rielle,’ Ms Kaye said.
Mr Procter’s phone was seized.
On August 20, Dr Longhurst sent him a message saying ‘that she wanted to die because he had cheated.’
A day later she sent him several texts thanking him for the time they’d had together, wishing him luck and sending him a link to a Spotify playlist.
He responded but she didn’t, the inquest heard.
Det Con Sobral said the notes were key, and were headed ‘Rielle: Letter of intent.’
Dr Longhurst’s cause of death was given as drowning, with a contributing factor the harmful effects of alcohol
He added: ‘The notes addressed how much she loved Georga and Mr and Mrs Longhurst and some of the pain she’d been going through and what her thought process was.
‘She said she loved them, but she can’t carry on.’
Dr Susan Paterson, head of toxicology at Imperial College London, carried out the toxicology report and said Dr Longhurst had ethanol, or alcohol, in her blood at 124mg per 100ml. The drink drive limit is 80mg.
Her cause of death was given as drowning, with a contributing factor the harmful effects of alcohol.
Mr Longhurst told the inquest that the family were unhappy with the way they had been informed of the death by a paramedic, who phoned him up and told him his daughter was dead while he was driving.
The coroner said she would write to the London Ambulance Service to remind them of the sensitivities surrounding sudden deaths and how they are communicated to families.
In conclusion Mrs Harkin recorded a conclusion of misadventure and said: ‘We have heard that Rielle was very talented, very clever and loved by all.
‘We have heard that the break-up of a relationship with her partner troubled her and she made comments about not wanting to live, but I do not find that unusual in the break-up of a relationship.
The coroner recorded a conclusion of misadventure, with both her family and Mr Proctor believing that she had not intended to die
‘In addition we know that the toxicology evidence showed that Rielle had taken an opioid at a high level, but that doesn’t refer to a fatal level.
‘She had also taken alcohol and the combination would have depressant effects on the nervous system.
‘It would make her very sleepy and very drowsy.
‘She was in the bath and had a candle lit and her mobile phone was in a position that she could see.
‘The family told me that despite notes that were left she wouldn’t have wanted to die.
‘Rielle died as a result of drowning and that lends weight to being sleepy and immersing herself in water.
‘It’s likely on the evidence that Rielle was expecting Charlie to arrive and maybe wanted to hurt him as he’d hurt her.
‘We have a note of intent, but what we do not know is whether it was written at that time so we can’t be certain that the note was written just before she died.
‘It’s likely on the balance of evidence that Charlie would have found her notes and realised his impact.
‘Charlie’s evidence was he didn’t believe she would have taken her life.
‘The family and Charlie both knew her well and they do not believe that she intended to die.’
For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit https://www.thecalmzone.net/get-support
