Timothy Southern, 53, passed away after attempting to complete a cocktail drinking challenge, an inquest into the British tourist’s death has heard.
The father from Lichfield, Staffordshire, is said to have met two Canadian women at a hotel pool bar who had been attempting to drink all 21 cocktails on the menu.
The Canadians had been celebrating one of their birthdays, and Timothy decided to take part in the celebratory challenge with them.
Timothy had already been drinking beer and brandy in the morning but still drank 12 cocktails before retiring to his room at the Royal Decameron Club Caribbean in Saint Ann.
Royal Decameron Club Caribbean in Saint Ann
Decameron
It was in the hotel room that Timothy became ill and unresponsive, leading to his family raising the alarm.
A pathologist in Kingston, Jamaica, provided the cause of death as ‘acute gastroenteritis due to alcohol consumption,’ but a toxicology report could take up to three years to come back from Jamaica.
Emma Serrano, a coroner in the Staffordshire area, concurred that the death was alcohol-related.
Timothy had been on holiday with his sister, children and other relatives when the tragedy occurred in May 2022.
Those close to Timothy have since hit out at the hotel staff over the manner in which the alarm was raised, saying more could have been done to help.
Saint Ann region of Jamaica
WikiCommons/TUBS
Speaking at his inquest, one of the family members said: "He was on his back choking. I put him in the recovery position and screamed for an ambulance. He was making a gurgling sound.
"As soon as he was in the recovery position he vomited. I was shouting his name with no response.
"When the nurse arrived I said had an ambulance been called and she said 'no'. I thought she would take over. But that was not the case.
“I noticed he was starting to lose temperature. I checked his pulse and couldn't find it.
"She said he had a pulse. I was starting to lose it. I got a full look at his face and I thought he had passed away.
A pathologist in Kingston, Jamaica, provided the cause of death as ‘acute gastroenteritis due to alcohol consumption’
Unsplash
"I said, 'Don't just sit there looking at him, start CPR'. She only gave him chest compressions.
“Maybe if she had known what she was doing, maybe he would still be here. The service and treatment he received was disgusting."
After his death, the family realised that the holiday insurance Timothy took out did not, in fact, cover him.
In a bid to bring the Brit’s body back to the UK, the Southern family raised almost £10,000 on GoFundMe.
The page said: "We're hoping by doing this we could try to raise as much money as we can to get him home so that we, as a family, get to say our goodbyes.
“Anything that is left over from the funds we raise will go to the MIND charity."
