Girl X wanted a good job and hoped to lead a normal life by the time she was 18.
But the 15-year-old, who died in a Sydney hospital after fatally overdosing on a dangerous mix of hard drugs, was let down by the state care system and left open to abuse at the hands of predatory adults, a NSW coroner has found.
She had allegedly been raped by two carers, aged only 14, while living in an inner Sydney shelter and had been dragged into the world of drugs and crime.
On the evening of April 20, a 25-year-old heroin junkie with whom she was in a "casual relationship" slipped into Girl X's room at UnitingCare-run Gordon House, the NSW coronial inquest into her death has heard.
The girl showed him a few small rocks of heroin, which he estimated to be between 0.1 to 0.2 grams of the drug.
He prepared an injection and passed out in her room after having a hit.
"It appears most likely that (the girl) used some left over heroin," NSW deputy state coroner Derek Lee said as he handed down his findings on Monday.
The next morning the girl's friends heard her breathing strangely and paramedics were called about 11.30am.
She was taken to hospital but died from hypoxic brain injury in the early hours of Easter Monday, 2014.
The inquest heard as well as the heroin, toxic to fatal amounts of meth and traces of cannabis were also found in her system.
Mr Lee was unable to say if earlier medical intervention could have saved her life, due to the amount of meth that she had taken.
No specific recommendations were made as Department of Family and Community Services (FACS) had changed the way in which it manages high needs children, Mr Lee said.
"More could have been done," he said.
Girl X was remembered as a charming character with a bright smile who could light up a room.
Her family, including younger twin brothers with whom she was close, and several carers have attended the week-long hearing.
"The courage, dignity and grace (the girl's) family showed was an example to all," Mr Lee said.
He wrapped the inquest with the final sentiment the twins expressed to their big sister "we love you".
