A GRIEVING mother has spoken of her torment after an inquest into her teenage daughter’s death heard she was killed by ecstasy.

Sam James, of New Waverley Road, Basildon, told the Echo she is still feeling “completely broken” seven months after her 15-year-old daughter Sherie-Lea James died.

The Billericay School pupil was rushed to Basildon Hospital in the early hours of September 1 after being taken ill at a house party in South Ockendon. She died after suffering several cardiac arrests in the ambulance.

An inquest into her death has now been opened with a preliminary cause of death given as MDMA intoxication.

Ms James is now anxiously waiting for the full inquest, which will take place on Friday, April 28.

She said: “It’s just been absolutely awful.

“It’s a real struggle. My hair is falling out and I’ve lost lots of weight and I’ll never be the same again without her. I feel like I’ve lost half of me and I just miss her so much.

“I think I am still in shock and can’t believe it is real.

“I don’t really know anything yet about what happened and probably won’t for some time.

“It’s been such a long time but I sort of hope we might get some answers. But the horrible bits are still going on, there has been no peace yet.”

Police have yet to charge anyone in relation to Sherie-Lea’s death. A 19-year-old man from South Ockendon and 29-year-old man from London were arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply and are due to return bail today.

Ms James has been targeted by trolls who have spread rumours about her daughter - but she said she hopes her friends and family will remember the “beautiful, smiley girl” she was.

She added: “We have had trolls among all the wonderful lovely people with nice things to say about her. But she was just a teenager who ended up in the wrong place with the wrong crowd at the wrong time.

“Her death has affected so many people.

“I miss her beautiful face and her beautiful smile. She was just amazing.”