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Salisbury poisonings: Charlie Rowley gave his girlfriend what he thought was fancy perfume. It was actually a Russian nerve agent
CNN • • world
Key Points:
- In June 2018, Charlie Rowley unknowingly picked up a discarded bottle containing the Russian nerve agent Novichok, which he gave to his girlfriend, Dawn Sturgess, leading to her death and his hospitalization.
- The poisoning was linked to a failed assassination attempt on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, England, three months earlier, involving Russian operatives using the same nerve agent.
- Sturgess died 10 days after exposure, while Rowley suffered severe health effects including a coma, stroke, and lasting neurological damage.
- Despite identifying the Russian agents responsible, no arrests were made, and Rowley has since given up hope for justice, describing the incident as a tragic and unresolved espionage saga.
- The story is featured in the CNN Films documentary “The Salisbury Poisonings: A Spy Next Door,” airing Sunday at 8pm ET/PT on CNN, where Rowley and others share their experiences.
