Reading Festival-goer died from accidental drug overdose
- Published
The teenager collapsed at Reading Festival in August 2019
A student nurse died after taking an accidental drug overdose at a music festival, a coroner has concluded.
Corey Kendall, 19, died in hospital two days after taking MDMA at Reading Festival in August last year.
Mr Kendall, from New Milton, Hampshire, and his friends had attempted to take drugs "safely" throughout the weekend, the inquest in Reading heard.
Assistant Berkshire coroner Alison McCormick concluded the death was drug-related.
On 24 August, Mr Kendall and four friends planned to take MDMA at staggered times and in limited doses as a "safety measure", the inquest heard.
A festival volunteer spotted Mr Kendall "swaying, thrashing his arms and talking nonsensically" at about 23:10 BST, the coroner was told.
He was taken to the festival's medical centre and was immediately transferred to hospital, where his life support was later discontinued in consultation with his family.
A "relatively high" concentration of the Class A drug was found in his blood, the inquest heard.
Ms McCormick said the teenager's self-administered overdose was accidental.
"What should have been a fun weekend at a music festival turned into the tragic loss of a promising young life," she said.
"This is testimony to the fatal effects of substances such as MDMA even when taken with the safety precautions the boys said they had taken."
Previously, Mr Kendall's mother Jo, a teacher at New Milton Junior School, said his family and friends were "heartbroken" at his loss.
"Corey brought happiness and laughter to so many people," she said.
"It is incredibly hard for his mum, dad, brother and sister that his sunshine no longer shines on us."
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