Oliwier Kaczmarowski: Coroner not satisfied Gainsborough teen meant to take own life

Oliwier Kaczmarowski's body was found in the river in Gainsborough on 26 May

A coroner has said he is not satisfied a 15-year-old boy who drowned in the River Trent, in Lincolnshire, after drinking vodka took his own life.

Oliwier Kaczmarowski's body was found in the river in Gainsborough on 26 May.

An inquest heard tests found he was almost twice the legal drink-drive limit before he entered the water.

Coroner Paul Smith said that while conclusions of suicide and accidental death were "plausible to a degree" there was no "direct evidence".

Recording a narrative conclusion, he said: "Oliwier Kaczmarowski died on 26 May 2023 from drowning.

"He entered the River Trent during the evening of 22 May whilst in drink.

"The evidence does not disclose the precise circumstances of his entering the water, nor his state of mind at the time."

The inquest in Lincoln heard Oliwier and a friend had bought a bottle of vodka and mixers on 22 May and were seen sitting on the river bank, before the friend left at about 20:00 BST.

Oliwier's body was discovered by police divers four days later at about 13:20.

A post-mortem examination gave the medical cause of death as drowning, while a toxicology test found he had 144 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood. The legal drink-drive limit is 80mg.

Tributes were laid by the bridge in Gainsborough where Oliwier was last seen in May

Det Sgt Tim Sykes, of Lincolnshire Police, told the inquest that Oliwier had been "struggling with his mental health on occasion" due to the death of his father in 2018 and the recent breakdown of a relationship, with the coroner also referencing the pressure of upcoming GCSE exams.

However, friends had supported him when needed, he said, with his school noting no concerns.

Mr Smith said: "I have no doubt at all that had any of Oliwier's friends had concerns about him that night, he would not have been left alone in the circumstances that he was."

Closing the hearing, he addressed Oliwier's mother, saying: "There is nothing that I can say that can take the hurt away.

"You have my own personal sympathies in relation to your loss and I hope you and your family recover from this tragedy."