The heartbroken family of a kind and caring 19-year-old believe the overdose that led to her tragic death was a “cry for help”.

Animal lover Ellie Knight, from Ramsgate, died at Margate’s QEQM Hospital despite the desperate efforts of doctors.

An inquest in April will examine whether the teenager’s death was a suicide, though her parents believe she did not intend to take her own life.

In a moving interview, Michael and Sarah Knight say they wish Ellie had accepted just how loved she was by everyone.

“We don’t think she did it to end her life, or to get to the point it got to. It was a cry for help, but we can’t change anything.

“She had such a big heart, and was loved by so many people - more than she knew. We told her lots but she just didn’t accept it.

“Ellie did suffer from depression, she did have worries, and it played a big part in what happened.

“She wanted a baby; she had tried for one and she was really worried she couldn’t fall pregnant. There was just so much going on.”

Ellie overdosed on December 18 and began having seizures so doctors put her into an induced coma in an attempt to stop the fits.

Tragically, the treatment proved unsuccessful and she suffered brain damage and a cardiac arrest, dying on January 9.

Despite Ellie’s struggles, her parents say they will remember the happier times and joy she brought to their lives.

Born on June 14, 2004, Ellie was the middle child of three siblings, with 22-year-old Liam and five-year-old Robin completing the household.

The former Broadstairs and Canterbury College pupil aspired to work in animal or childcare, having a fondness for both, and studied health and social care.

A keen music lover with a wide range of tastes, she was also an avid watcher of TV, with Friends and Victorious among her favourite shows.

As an adult, Ellie developed an interest in motorbikes and planned to get her first this year to do up with her dad.

“She was a real thrill-seeker - a bit of an adrenaline junkie, like me,” he said.

“She’d go to car-meets and loved it when they would race and did burn-outs.

“Horror films, theme parks, motorbikes – she really got a kick out of it all.

“But she also had that softer side. She used to collect Barbie films and she loved Stitch (the alien from the children’s TV show Lilo and Stitch).

“She was a huge Harry Potter fan too; she was a big reader.”

Ellie’s parents recall happy holidays to the Isle of Wight when Ellie and her older brother Liam were younger, alongside trips to the cinema and board game nights.

As the extended family got older and bigger, so too did the experiences, with 19-year-old Ellie a huge presence at any gatherings.

And it was as an older sister to five-year-old Robin that her heart and character really stood out.

Her mum said: “They were so close - there are tons and tons of photos of them together.

“Ellie always used to take her out to the park or the shop. A lot of the time Ellie and Robin would just lay upstairs and watch stuff together.

“Things did change when we had Robin because of the age gap but Ellie just loved having a baby around the house; she took it in her stride.”

Ellie kept many animals and had a desire to look after more, with her cat Boots the centre of attention for many years.

“She was so caring and also really good with animals – she wanted to have Boots in her room with her all the time,” her mum added.

“If she’d had her way we’d have had so many others. She wanted us to get dogs and cats and whatever else.”

The Knight family are set to say their final goodbyes to Ellie on Tuesday with a service at Thanet Crematorium at 11.30am followed by a wake at the Red Arrow Social Club in Ramsgate.

“There’s going to be lots of people there,” her mum said.

“We’ll do a visual tribute at the crematorium and the Red Arrow club. We’ve asked people to wear something Stitch-related or the colour blue, which was her favourite colour.

“We’ll have an extra song too and noisy motorbikes for her, just like she would have wanted.”

Ellie is survived by dad Michael, mum Sarah and siblings Liam and Robin, as well as a large extended family.

For confidential support on an emotional issue, call Samaritans any time on 116 123.