A young man from Darndale in Dublin died from cocaine intoxication, an inquest heard yesterday.
Stephen Wade (18) was discovered dead in the stairwell of an apartment block in Howth on November 3rd 2006, Dublin County Coroner's Court was told.
Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis carried out a postmortem on the young man's body and his report stated that "cocaine intoxication" caused death. Mr Wade had also consumed alcohol.
The pathologist's report continued that while he was discovered beside scaffolding, there were no injuries to his body to suggest he had fallen except minor abrasions to his hands.
"There is no indication he fell from scaffolding and no sign he was assaulted," according to the post- mortem.
Coroner Dr Kieran Geraghty returned an open verdict and described Mr Wade's death at such a young age as "very tragic."
Two residents living in the Asgard apartment complex heard a disturbance early on November 3rd.
Brian Cotter said he heard a man arguing on his mobile phone outside and then someone "kicking the scaffolding".
Garda Cormac Jevens from Howth station said Mr Wade was discovered lying in the stairwell of the apartment block with a knife beside him. His phone was also found smashed in three pieces beside him, he told the court. He was wearing no shoes and just one sock.
Yvonne Wade described her son as "easy-going and very happy" but he was "not himself" in the last few weeks of his life.
Ms Wade said his friend found two notes in his bedroom shortly after his death "basically saying goodbye". She told the court that she did not know when they had been written.
She last saw her son two days before his body was found. He left the family home saying he planned to call into a friend but never arrived at her house.
Michelle Wade told the inquest that the family had no idea what her nephew was doing in Howth or how he got there. She said she knew he occasionally "smoked a few joints" but did not realise he was "into hard drugs".
Dr Geraghty said that while Mr Wade appeared to have indicated in a note that he wished to take his own life, there were no injuries to his body. "The cause of death was cocaine intoxication. It may have been that this was a misadventure," he told the court.