Lauren Sullivan, 18, had been out dancing with a friend when she became unsteady on her feet and went to the toilet.

Thirty minutes later her friends realised she had not returned and went to look for her, finding her collapsed on the floor.

Lauren, who could not stand unassisted, was taken out the front of the hotel and then to Bathurst Base Hospital.

Her parents, who were called to the hospital shortly after their daughter was admitted to accident and emergency about 3am, said questions needed to be raised about how the incident was handled.

Lauren’s father, Lachlan Sullivan, said after his wife Rosaleen arrived at the hospital she requested blood be taken from Lauren, but staff refused to do so because of the costs involved.

Staff told Mrs Sullivan that 99.9 per cent of the time the tests came back negative. But Mr Sullivan said it was clear Lauren’s state was not alcohol-related.

In response to inquiries from the Western Advocate, a hospital spokesperson said Lauren was treated appropriately by staff.

“Anyone presenting to the Bathurst Hospital Emergency Department (ED) is assessed and provided with the appropriate treatment,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

“The on-duty clinician determines the appropriate treatment and management of a patient’s condition. 

“Pathology tests are conducted to support diagnosis and monitoring of treatment. They are not carried out when it is determined they are not going to inform treatment.”

The spokesperson also said drink spiking was a matter for police and the onus was on the victim to contact police.

Mr Sullivan has since reported the incident to police, who told the Advocate they were “investigating it on a number of levels”.

“We have been officially made aware of allegations that a person may have been the victim of a drink spiking at a local hotel,” Inspector Colin Cracknell said.

“The incident is under investigation, but I am unable to say much more because it is too sensitive. The potential loss of evidence is too great to go any further.”

Chifley local area command licensing officer Senior Constable Colin Crome said while local police did not receive many reports of drink spiking, detectives took considerable effort to investigate every incident that was reported.

He said it was possible that drink spiking victims were too embarrassed to report it to police, but he stressed this should not be the case.

“If you or someone you’re with suspects their drink has been spiked, seek medical assistance immediately.

“Drink spiking can potentially be fatal,” he said, adding the offence comes under the assault category under Section 38 and Section 38a of the Crimes Act.

Anyone convicted of using an intoxicating substance to commit an indictable offence faces a jail term of up to 25 years.

Rosaleen Sullivan said she hoped that speaking publicly about her daughter’s ordeal would encourage other spiking victims to contact police.

She also said what happened to Lauren highlights the importance of people looking out for their friends.

“Lauren is just lucky she went to the girls’ toilets and not outside or somewhere where she was isolated,” Mrs Sullivan said. “And she is also lucky she had friends looking out for her.”

Source: Western Advocate