Cocktail of drugs kills teen

A 17-YEAR-OLD died of multi-organ failure when his serotonin levels became dramatically raised after taking a lethal amount of cocaine and esctasy, an inquest heard yesterday.

Dean Freeman, of 55 Rossfield Park, Tallaght, was rushed to Tallaght A&E department at 8am on July 1, 2006, after he collapsed during an all-night party with friends.

He died later that evening and a postmortem revealed that he had consumed a fatal cocktail of cocaine and esctasy.

State pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy, who carried out a postmortem, told the court that Mr Freeman died of multi-organ failure due to serotonin syndrome brought about by cocaine and esctasy intoxication.

Serotonin syndrome is a condition where the serotonin levels are dramatically raised due to drug consumption.

It can cause irrevocable damage to the major organs in the body, as well as coma, an increase in temperature and serious cardiac arrythmia.

Prof Cassidy said both the cocaine and esctasy that Mr Freeman had taken had caused his serotonin levels to rise.

The toxicology screening was also positive for benzodiazapines, sedative-type drugs.

A friend of Mr Freeman’s, Daryl Hall of Rossfield Avenue, told the court that he had been out drinking with a group of friends, including Dean Freeman, at St Aidan’s School on the evening of June 30.

He said that over the course of the night Mr Freeman had crushed two esctasy tablets and had snorted them.

He also took cocaine with others.

The group went to Darren Ward’s house, who also lived on Rossfield Avenue, at some point after midnight and stayed there drinking until Mr Ward asked them to leave at around 7.00am on July 1.

Mr Freeman collapsed in the garden and emergency services were contacted.