A NEWPORT teenager fell ill and died after taking the drug Ecstasy, despite the efforts of nightclub staff, paramedics and doctors to save him, an inquest was told.
Drake Morgan-Baines, 19, an IT analyst, died on November 5 last year at Bristol Royal Infirmary, after a night out with friends at the city’s Motion club.
His grandfather Quentin Morgan, in a statement, called his grandson an “outstanding young man” with a passion for music and a special bond with his mother and sister.
“He will be cherished forever by a family whose grief will be eternal,” said Mr Morgan.
The Avon Coroner’s Court hearing was told through read statements that Mr Morgan-Baines was taken to the club’s medical room by security staff after being found sitting on stairs, having been sick, at around 5.30am that morning.
Described as “dazed and intoxicated” by a security man who began to walk him to the room, his condition worsened on the way, to the point where he had almost to be carried.
Kyle Norman, of Herrings Ambulance Services, contracted to Motion, was on duty and described Mr Morgan-Baines as “discoloured and grey”, which was “not a good condition”.
A full set of observations was started - including heart rate, blood pressure and blood glucose level - but Mr Morgan-Baines became unresponsive. His heart rate was 180 beats a minute. The normal rate is 60-90.
“He was giving me real cause for concern. I feared a medical emergency,” said Mr Norman, adding that Mr Morgan-Baines then began having a seizure which caused him to “lash out”.
Security team members held his arms and legs to prevent him from hurting himself and others.
An ambulance was called and, with his heart rate increasing and temperature soaring, ice packs and water were used to try to cool him. Mr Morgan-Baines’ oxygen levels decreased, he drifted in and out of consciousness and, as paramedics arrived, he stopped breathing.
A bag and mask, and CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation), were used and a pulse found, but he had a cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital. He was revived, but was subsequently pronounced dead shortly before 8.30am.
A post mortem examination found MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine, commonly known as Ecstasy) in his body, and substances including ketamine and a trace of cocaine. It concluded that the main cause of death was MDMA poisoning.
Friend Alex Peters said he and Mr Morgan-Baines had been at the club since late the previous evening, and met other friends there. Drunk and having a good time, they kept losing contact through the night.
At around 12.30am that Sunday morning, Mr Peters said Mr Morgan-Baines told him he had taken a pill called a Tesla.
These are strong Ecstasy pills about which warnings have been issued.
Later Mr Morgan-Baines had said he felt “a bit weird”, said Mr Peters, and later still had seemed “spaced out”.
Assistant coroner Myfanwy Buckeridge said the statements provided “a very tragic account of a young man who in his prime was clearly an outstanding individual”.
Noting that MDMA was present in Mr Morgan-Baines’ body, and calling the toxicity “lethal”, she concluded that his had been a drug-related death.