A British mother of three has died at a remote retreat in the Bolivian Amazon rainforest after allegedly drinking psychedelic tea during a wellness programme.
Maureen Rainford, 54, a social worker from Romford, Essex, had paid £800 for a 10-day stay at the Ayahuasca and San Pedro Pisatahua Retreat last month.
The secluded eco-lodge markets itself as a “sacred space” for visitors to “work with plant medicines” and describes the facility as an “ideal environment to heal, expand consciousness, and connect with the wonders of the Amazon”.
Rainford was reportedly fit and healthy before embarking on her journey to the Amazon commune, which specialises in the psychedelic drug ayahuasca.
Maureen Rainford complained of feeling unwell just 10 minutes after drinking the ayahuasca tea
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Witnesses reported that Rainford complained of feeling unwell just 10 minutes after drinking the ayahuasca tea, with her heart and breathing rate rapidly declining.
Despite attempts to resuscitate her for an hour, she died before a doctor could reach the remote location, her family were informed. Her daughter Rochel, 32, said staff at the retreat told her that her mother had suffered a “medical emergency”.
“There should be a trained medic on standby when hallucinogenic drugs are being handed out in a remote area,” Rochel told The Sun.
A spokesman for the retreat claimed her death was unrelated to ayahuasca, insisting it was caused by a medical emergency.
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The preparation of Ayahuasca tea (file pic)
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Ayahuasca is a plant-based psychedelic registered as an illegal Class A drug in the UK.
The bitter beverage is made by brewing leaves and stalks from two local plants and has long been used by indigenous tribes in South America for medicinal, spiritual and ceremonial purposes.
The Amazon region has seen a surge in Western tourists visiting retreats to participate in ayahuasca ceremonies as a form of alternative therapy.
Prince Harry, in his memoir ‘Spare’, revealed he had taken the drug “therapeutically” and “medicinally” to help overcome PTSD connected to his mother’s death.
“[Ayahuasca] didn’t simply allow me to escape reality for a while, they let me redefine reality,” he wrote, though he cautioned against recreational use.
Following contact with the British consulate, Rainford’s body was returned to the UK, where a post-mortem examination confirmed she had suffered a heart attack. The funeral was held last week, with East London’s coroner being informed of the death.
A retreat worker had initially insisted Rainford “must be cremated in Bolivia as her body would decompose”, but her daughter refused. “I did not want any cover-up,” Rochel said.
Rochel, who described her mother as fit and healthy before her Amazon journey, issued a warning to others: “I want to raise awareness about these places for people tempted by glossy brochures selling a dream.”
GB News has contacted the Foreign Office and the retreat for a comment.
