British woman Dawn Sturgess exposed to Novichok nerve agent dies
London: Dawn Sturgess, 44, has died after being exposed to the nerve agent Novichok, Scotland Yard says.
Sturgess and her partner Charlie Rowley, 45, were taken ill 10 days ago after being exposed to the toxin in Amesbury, Wiltshire.
Police had been working to discover how she and Rowley had come across an item contaminated with Novichok, the same toxin used in an attack on Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter four months ago.
Police believed the pair had secondary exposure to the chemical weapon used in the attack on the Skripals.
In a statement, Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the head of UK counter-terrorism policing, said: "This is shocking and tragic news.
"Dawn leaves behind her family, including three children, and our thoughts and prayers are with them at this extremely difficult time."
Basu said Rowley was still critically ill in hospital and that Sturgess' family had asked for privacy.
Prime Minister Theresa May said she was "appalled and shocked" by Sturgess' death.
"Police and security officials are working urgently to establish the facts of this incident, which is now being investigated as a murder," she addded.
More to come
PA, Reuters