Boy, 15, died from MDMA overdose - inquest

A 15-year-old boy found dead on a cycle path died from an ecstasy overdose, an inquest heard.

Darius Popan collapsed on the Trans Pennine Trail in Doncaster on in July 2024 after taking MDMA with a group of friends, Doncaster Coroner's Court was told.

Three people were previously arrested on suspicion of murder, but later released without charge, after injuries to Darius' body, initially thought to be suspicious, were found to have been be caused by efforts to resuscitate him.

During the hearing his mother, Mihaela, said his friends had "abandoned" him, however coroner Louise Slater said their actions had not contributed to his death.

The inquest heard the Don Valley Academy pupil had gone out to meet friends on his bike on 27 July, but when he failed to return home at his agreed curfew time his family became concerned.

It was later established he had met with two boys and a girl, but after each of them had taken an ecstasy tablet supplied by one of the boys, Darius had left the group and cycled away.

Witnesses later reported seeing him alone on the path beside the River Don between Warmsworth and Sprotbrough, with one dog walker commenting that he appeared "out of it" and "under the influence" when she and her partner asked if he was OK.

He was later found in an unresponsive state and suffering from seizures by a jogger and another man who called 999.

Giving evidence, forensic pathologist Dr Jamie Robinson said confusion about the circumstances of Darius' death initially arose because of bruising and cuts to his body, some swelling to his brain and a traumatic injury to his stomach that had caused internal bleeding.

However, after he consulted notes from the medics who treated Darius at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, he was satisfied that all the injuries had been sustained during procedures to try and save his life.

He added that the level of MDMA in his blood was consistent with a fatal dose, and there were also traces of the stimulant ephedrine, which is sometimes used as an illicit weight loss or bodybuilding drug, and cannabis in his system.

The inquest heard the three teenagers were observed by witnesses to have walked past Darius as he was being treated by paramedics on the towpath, with the girl appearing visibly upset and crying, but they did not speak to anyone at the scene.

Mihaela Popan told the inquest her son was "passionate" about Army Cadets, which he attended several nights a week, and he wanted to apply to the Army Foundation College.

"I have no knowledge of him using drugs. His life revolved around the Army Cadets - it makes no sense," she said.

Speaking about Darius' friends, she said: "Why would they leave him? They knew he had taken drugs. If they had stayed with him, he might not have died. They could have rung 999 anonymously, but he didn't stand a chance.

"They were supposed to be his friends, yet they left him at a time of need. I cannot forgive that."

However, Det Ch Insp Simon Cartwright told the hearing they had no "legal duty" to call for help and that Darius had likely left the group at an earlier stage, noting that the witnesses who saw him on the towpath said he was alone.

Area coroner Louise Slater also confirmed to the Popan family that it would have not made a difference to Darius' treatment if the teenagers had told paramedics what he had taken, as his overdose had been identified already.

Recording a conclusion of misadventure, Slater said: "I accept the police's finding that there was no third party criminality associated with his death. There was no evidence he was pressured into taking this drug. It had catastrophic consequences."

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