A SCHOOLBOY tragically died from an overdose of MDMA while celebrating his 15th birthday with his friends.
Sam Curry, 15, began feeling "unwell" at a house in South Benfleet, Essex in the early hours of July 18 last year after partying with pals.
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Sam Curry, 15, tragically died after celebrating his birthday with pals Credit: BPM
The popular Year 10 pupil was found to have MDMA and cannabis in his system, which sent him into cardiac arrest before he passed away later that day.
His devastated family has been left with many unanswered questions and are now grappling with the news that they will never know the full version of events that led up to the schoolboy's death.
Paramedics reported to the house to find Sam unresponsive upstairs in a life-threatening condition - in the same room as a wrap of white powder.
They battled to save his life as he went into cardiac arrest before rushing him to Basildon Hospital via air ambulance, where he later died.
A toxicology report of the teen found that a "very high" concentration of MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, was in Sam's system, along with some evidence of cannabis.
UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
It remains unclear whether Sam voluntarily took the drugs or whether he was spiked, his family told the inquest.
His mother Gemma Bedford told Essex Coroner's Court: "He hated alcohol, he detested it, he would have never drunk it."
The response of emergency services has also been called into question after paramedics failed to promptly inform the police of the incident.
The scene was not secured until 9pm - around 12 hours after the incident was reported - raising concerns that evidence may not have been secured.
The court heard that emergency response protocols "did not cover a situation such as Sam's" at the time - which has prompted the introduction of new procedures.
The new document recommends first responders contact the police in cases of cardiac arrest in patients under 18.
"Everyone wanted him around. He had a great sense of humour. He was a really good boy."
Gemma BedfordSam's mother
Philip Sweeney, Clinical Manager for Ambulance Control Centres, said crews determined that Sam was still "workable and treatable" and were preoccupied with "putting their all" into saving the youngster.
"They had other things that were a higher priority to get the best care for Sam that they could. They admitted it wasn't something they did or thought about at the time."
Mum Gemma told the court: "The outcome of the police investigation could have been very different had the medics called the police and the police cordoned off the property."
Det Insp Yoni Adler, the officer in charge of the case, admitted that police failed to collect sufficient evidence and said officers struggled to decipher the "contradictory" accounts of the evening.
"I am talking with 15-year-old children who were drunk or on drugs or self-preserving," Detective Adler said. "No one could contribute a satisfactory account of how that evening had gone."
Area Coroner Michelle Brown said that there was no evidence to show that Sam would have survived had police or ambulance crews acted differently.
A year on from Sam's death, the ambulance service finalised a new guidance document the day before the inquest, which recommends paramedics to always contact police in cases of patients under 18 who go into cardiac arrest.
Grief-stricken Gemma paid tribute to her late son who she described as "a very funny boy".
"Everyone wanted him around. He had a great sense of humour. He was a really good boy."
The coroner ruled that Sam had died as a result of a "drug-related death".
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A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said: "We would like to offer our sincere condolences to Ms Bedford and her loved ones at this difficult time.
"Sam was very unwell when our teams arrived and their priority was to focus on his care.
"Though the coroner acknowledged that there was no evidence that Sam would have survived had our ambulance crews acted differently, as a result of Sam's case we have clarified our recommended protocols for when and how to request police attendance with all our staff."