A teenager died after consuming a lethal dose of MDMA in Somerset, an inquest has heard. Reece Murphy, 16, ‘triple dropped’ three Class A pills before his drink was also laced with the drug in Taunton on 30 June 2018.
The inquest at Wells Coroners’ Court was told that Mr Murphy later collapsed and was taken to Musgrove Park Hospital, where he died from multiple organ failure two days later. Home Office pathologist Dr Amanda Jeffery ruled that the toxic effects of MDMA caused his death.
During the hearing, friend Naomi Norris testified that Mr Murphy had told her he had taken three pills, and she later witnessed another young person put crushed MDMA into his drink. At around midnight, police were called to Hamilton Park after a reported attack on a woman.
Police Constable Dean Meace spoke to a group that included Mr Murphy, who gave a false name. Despite suspicions that the missing teen was in the group, PC Meace did not call for backup, a decision the coroner described as ‘blindingly obvious’ error. Mr Murphy was not located until after officers left.
An ambulance was called shortly before 04:00 after Mr Murphy collapsed. Paramedic Ryan Hebron-Wheatley found him deeply unconscious, and he never recovered. The inquest continues.
