Brandon man, 28, drowned after he became unconscious in a Bury St Edmunds nature reserve, inquest hears

A young father drowned after falling unconscious in a nature reserve, an inquest heard.

Kurtiss Jenkins, 28, from Rowan Drive, Brandon, was found lying on a log across a water-filled ditch in a nature reserve behind Ram Meadow, Bury St Edmunds, on April 28, last year.

He had been reported missing by his partner after failing to meet her in Bury St Edmunds five days earlier.

Mr Jenkins, a brick layer and plasterer, who had a child from a previous relationship, was found lying face down in water by a volunteer for Bury Water Meadows Group.

He was described by his father at the inquest as ‘loving person who would help anyone’.

The inquest at Suffolk Coroner’s Court in Ipswich today, heard that although Mr Jenkins had battled with drug addiction over a number of years, he had been on the road to recovery for more than a year after receiving help from Turning Point Recovery Network, including drug replacement therapy.

He had suffered bouts of anxiety and depression since he was 16 – but shortly before his death reported to his doctor that his life was now ‘stable’ and he was ‘looking forward to the future’.

On the day of his death, a post mortem discovered he had a combination of drugs in his system – two of which had been prescribed for anxiety.

He had previously also been diagnosed with ADHD.

Coroner Darren Stewart told the inquest that the combination of the drugs however would have led Mr Jenkins to become ‘deeply unconscious’, as a result of which he drowned in the water that had built up in the ditch.

The circumstances around this, however, he said were ‘unclear’.

Police arrived on the scene and attempted to resuscitate Mr Jenkins, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police ruled out any suspicious circumstances following investigations.

Recording Mr Jenkins’ death as drug-related, coroner Darren Stewart said: “It seemed like he was pulling his life back together but was taken in strange and unfortunate circumstances.”

He passed his condolences to family members.