Teen died taking MDMA to celebrate 15th birthday

A 15-year-old boy died after taking a large quantity of MDMA to celebrate his birthday, an inquest has heard.

Joshua Reeson, from York, was found on the pavement in Hospital Fields Road in the early hours of 27 September 2020.

He was taken to hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest and died later the same day from multiple organ failure due to the effects of MDMA, the hearing in Northallerton was told.

Joshua's mum, Michelle Reeson, said: "One spur of the moment decision, one wrong choice, and everything changed. Drugs took Joshua away from us."

Speaking at the inquest Mrs Reeson said her son had turned 15 on 25 September 2020.

The following day he made plans to go out with friends and sleep at another boy's house, she said.

The inquest heard Joshua and two friends had arranged to buy three grams of MDMA, also known as ecstasy, to celebrate, which they took later that night at one of their homes.

According to Det Ch Insp Nichola Holden CCTV showed Joshua withdrawing his birthday money from a cash machine in York and later meeting a man to buy the drugs.

The hearing was told after taking the substance Joshua begun to feel unwell, shaking and sweating, and was told to leave the house after being discovered by one of the boy's parents.

The adults later went out to look for the boys and Joshua was found to have fallen over and banged his head at 03:30 BST.

He was treated by paramedics but died in hospital, surrounded by family, at 15:10 BST.

Mrs Reeson said: "There are no words that can fully capture the pain, shock, and the emptiness that follows such a tragedy.

"His death cannot be for nothing, I intend to carry his memory forward with purpose.

"My son, who gave so much for others, would want me to spread awareness of how he died, to hopefully prevent others from having to experience the same terrible, needless heartbreak we, his family and friends, live with everyday."

She described her son as "a light to everyone around him", who had a big heart and was always eager to lend a hand.

"The reality is this can happen to anyone, any child from any family, no matter how much love and care surround them," she added.

"It is simply not enough to say 'don't do drugs', we need to educate ourselves and our children about the dangers they pose, and the signs and symptoms of an overdose.

"We must speak openly about this issue so that our silence does not steal another child from us."

Concluding the inquest as a drug-related death, assistant coroner Alison Norton shared her condolences with the Reeson family.

Following an investigation into Joshua's death, Alexander Payne, 20, was charged with conspiracy to supply MDMA and cocaine.

In December 2024, Payne, of Overdale Road, Middlesbrough, was jailed for four and a half years at York Crown Court, having admitted the offences.

Three other people arrested in the wake of Joshua's death, were also sentenced for drug offences.

Sian Roe, 37, and Jay Baxter, 22, of York, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce cannabis.

Roe received an 18-month community order and 80 hours unpaid work, while Baxter was handed an 18-month community order, 100 hours unpaid work and a 25-day rehabilitation order.

Joseph Gilchrest, 21, of Cherry Wood Crescent, York, pleaded guilty to failing to disclose a passcode to allow investigators access to a device and was sentenced to eight months in prison.

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