Fake black market weight loss jab 'turned mum's face purple' before she died in hospital

A mum who was injected with weight loss jobs in a black room that cost just £20 tragically died in hospital after her face turned purple. Karen McGonigal, 53, from Salford in Greater Manchester, died in May, just days after she was illegally administered a dose of semaglutide.

The "kind and loving" mother had been battling with her mental health and felt that being overweight was "ruining her life" especially when her relationship ended. In a bid to get her confidence back, Karen visited her GP, where she had tests to see if she would be eligible for weight loss injections. However, she was unable to get the medication on the NHS, but was told by friends that it was available to buy at a local beauty salon.

ITV News has reportedly seen text messages from a beautician offering the jabs for £20 each.

Karen's daughter Ffion McGonigal told the broadcaster that her mother visited the salon several times for what she was told were injections of Mounjaro, a weight-loss jab also used to treat type two diabetes.

A beautician "stopped doing a woman's nails" to take Karen into a back room where she was injected with a syringe, Ffion said.

"No preparation, no cleaning, nothing. She'd give it to my mum, my mum would pay her and she'd be out in three minutes."

Karen had started to lose weight, but four days after her last injection, she suddenly was in "agony" with severe stomach pains and was struggling to breathe.

When Ffion, who still lived with her mum, saw her Karen's face turn "purple", she called an ambulance. She was rushed to the hospital, but after two days in intensive care, Karen's children were told there was nothing more doctors could do to save her.

"We were around her, kissing and hugging her. We were singing," said daughter Abbie.

"All her friends were there... They all got to say their last goodbyes."

The sisters told ITV News they believe the authorities should be doing more to stop the illegal supply of unlicensed and unsafe weight loss jabs.

"I think the people who are actually injecting people with this stuff - more needs to be done to them," said Abbie.

"There's so many people doing it, there's so many people selling it," she added. "These people are getting away with destroying people's lives."

Ffion told ITV News she would "beg on hands and knees" for others not to use fake 'skinny jabs'.

Karen's family are awaiting further test results, but they believe the unlicensed weight-loss jabs were to blame for her death.

ITV News reports that Greater Manchester Police have arrested one person on suspicion of manslaughter and another on suspicion of supplying a controlled substance. The police investigation is ongoing.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting told the broadcaster the Government would "take every action we can to clamp down on the availability of these sorts of drugs on the black market", adding the Government and public must "learn from this absolutely shocking case".

He said: "My heart goes out to Karen's family after just such a shocking and avoidable loss. We're determined to make sure that we drive these dangerous criminals out of our country.

"My message to the public is that whilst weight loss jabs can be really helpful to tackle obesity and there's lots of evidence to support it, people must seek medical advice from regulated medical providers before taking this medication, and if people are seeing it for sale on the black market, they should report it."