The mother of a woman who testified against Ghislaine Maxwell is desperate for police to re-open the investigation into her death after she suddenly passed away.
Carolyn Andriano, who survived being mistreated by sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, gave testimony in court which proved crucial to the prosecutors' case against his accomplice, Maxwell.
Andriano claimed Maxwell had routinely scheduled 'massages' for her with Epstein, and that Epstein had molested her up to three times.
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But in May 2023, Andriano passed away in a hotel room in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Police in West Palm Beach opened an investigation into her death, but it reached the conclusion that Andriano had died of an accidental overdose.
However, Andriano's mother is desperate for the police to re-open the case, telling The Daily Beast that before her death her daughter was 'all set up for a whole new lifestyle'.
A mother-of-five, 36-year-old Andriano had recently purchased a new property with her husband, John Pitts, and texted her mom about being free of drugs and alcohol.
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Andriano's brother saw her after she arrived in Florida and said she was 'the happiest [he had] ever seen her'.
When he tried to get in touch with her a few days later, he learned she wasn't feeling well.
Recalling the conversation he had with Pitts, the brother said: “I said, ‘If she’s so sick why don’t you call the ambulance, bro? Do something. You gotta take her to the hospital.’ He said, 'Oh, no, she’s alright'.”
Groenert later learned about her daughter's death in a text from Pitts, which read: "I gotta call u back. Carolyn died last night.”
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Speaking of the investigation, the mom said: “It shouldn’t be closed. I begged them, I sent them numerous messages. I’ve asked for them to make meetings, contact me, and to no avail.”
Officers on the scene took a statement from Pitts, who said Andriano had been using drugs and that he'd tried to administer CPR.
The medical examiner reported that Andriano's purse was found containing crack pipes, a small baggie with white powdery residue, and a needle cap.
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Police also found 'six empty small plastic containers that, according to the husband, were methadone in syrup that they received from the methadone clinic', the report said.
Pitts has not commented on Groenert's claims about her daughter's death but his sister Serena told The Daily Beast the suggestion that Andriano's death was suspicious is 'ridiculous'.
“Right now our family is grieving the loss of Carolyn and prioritizing the care of her children. At this time we kindly appreciate space and privacy,” she said.
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In her testimony at Maxwell's trial, Andriano claimed she was 'allowed to do whatever [she] wanted because [her] mom was an alcoholic and a drug addict'.
Groenert has since denied this, saying she was 'working' in the period Andriano was referring to.
A toxicology report obtained by The Daily Beast indicates Andriano had methadone, fentanyl, and alprazolam, which is the generic name for Xanax, in her system when she died.
Lewis Nelson, professor and chair of the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School’s Department of Emergency Medicine and Director of the Division of Medical Toxicology, pointed out that alprazolam and fentanyl can be a dangerous combination as they suppress breathing.
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Convinced the truth is yet to be uncovered, Groenert said: "Nobody’s giving me any answers, and you know what? I’m over it. Because this is my daughter, and she deserves justice. She got to a point where she was turning her whole life around.”
Following Andriano's death, Groenert is now in a legal battle with Pitts over her daughter's will, which was filed before she married him.
Andriano received millions of dollars in settlements related to the Epstein case.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivor’s Trust for free on 08088 010 818, or through their website thesurvivorstrust.org
Emily Brown