Tragic teen, 18, died after using cocaine when relationship broke down

A tragic teenager who started taking cocaine as he struggled to cope with the end of a relationship died five months later after collapsing at a friend's house.

Connor Norman, 18, turned to the Class A drug in June last year after the painful split from his partner, an inquest was told.

In October, he was at the friend's house when he locked himself in the bathroom and could be heard 'puttering about' and making loud banging noises before it suddenly went quiet.

His friends broke into the room and called his stepfather after finding him limp and with wet tissue and a flannel in his mouth.

Connor, of Aylsham, Norfolk, was rushed to hospital in the early hours of the following morning but he had suffered an irreversible brain injury and was pronounced dead two days later.

A toxicology report confirmed there had been 'recreational' use of cocaine on the evening he was found unconscious.

Assistant coroner Christopher Leach has now concluded the death was the result of misadventure after the hearing at Norfolk Coroner's Court was told the medical cause of death had been 'anoxic brain injury, asphyxiation and cocaine overdose'.

Mr Leach removed the word 'overdose' from the last cause after Connor's family complained the amount of the illicit substance in his system was less than the normally accepted lethal level.

In a statement to the court, they said he would be 'sorely missed' as he had been the 'foundation of the family' and was 'someone who would light up every room with his presence'.

He 'cared so much about others', they added, and if you wanted to feel loved, he was 'the go-to man'.

Connor had only started dabbling with cocaine after the relationship he was in fell apart, the inquest heard.

Two months later he needed hospital treatment after taking an overdose.

After he recovered, he was referred to the Matthew Project, which supports people with drug and alcohol problems.

Health experts also considered referring him to the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust for treatment for suspected psychosis.

But it was later concluded that the psychosis was only being brought on by drug use, rather than other issues. 

On October 8, Connor spent time at his mother's house before going to his friend's home nearby.

His behaviour was described as 'normal' before he locked himself in the bathroom and started making strange noises and running water.

His friends reported that he sounded 'in a bad way' before the noises ceased, so they broke into the room after becoming concerned. 

Connor was lying unresponsive on the floor and was given CPR by his stepfather, who raced over after he was alerted by his son's friends.

Paramedics arrived and took him to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital in the early hours of October 9 before doctors delivered the tragic news of the brain injury. 

Connor was pronounced dead just before 10.30pm on October 11.

Following his death, his mother wrote on social media: 'The last five months, nearly, have been the toughest times of our family's life.

'People have come together and held me and my children up when our world has come crashing down on us.' 

A fundraising page set up in Connor's memory on JustGiving saw nearly £3,500 raised towards 'awareness and support for families of young people struggling with the effects of mental health'.