Georgina Bartter’s Close Friend Has Been Charged With Supplying Ecstasy

There’s not a lot of good news to come out of this story, just as a forewarning. Following the tragic death of 19 year-old Sydney woman Georgina Bartter at last year’s Harbourlife festival – the result of what’s believed to be an extraordinarily freak allergic reaction – it’s been revealed that Bartter’s close friend has been charged by NSW Police with supplying the ecstasy pills.

Fairfax Media reports that 19 year-old Rebecca Hannibal has been charged with a single count of supplying a prohibited drug. The arrest appears to actually have been made back in December of last year, but has been kept extremely quiet up until now as the investigation into Bartter’s death continues.
Hannibal and Bartter, by all accounts, were very close, having been part of the same group of friends that travelled to Greece together last year.
It is understood that Police will allege that Hannibal purchased a number of “purple speaker” pills from Matthew Forti in the lead up to the festival, which took place on November 8th. Hannibal then passed on the pills to Bartter.
Forti himself has since been arrested and charged with two counts of knowingly and wilfully distributing a prohibited drug, following a search conducted by NSW Police on February 7th.
It was stated at the funeral service for Ms. Bartter that the chances of someone dying from an allergic reaction to a drug were 1 in 10 million. Hospital staff told family members her chances of suffering an “acute, aggressive, irreversible allergic reaction” were 0.00001%.
Forti was bailed on the condition of having no contact with Hannibal, along with mandated, in-person reporting to Police every Monday, Wednesday and Friday until his matter is heard by the courts in late March.
Ms. Hannibal’s case will be heard on March 18th. However, she has been excused from appearing in person.
There are zero winners in this story. It’s a profoundly horrific situation for all concerned, and one you certainly wouldn’t wish upon anyone.
We can only hope that, once the legal matters are put to rest, all parties involved – and their families – can find some sort of peace one day.
Photo via Facebook.

via SMH.

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