Yahoo News 'If I had known what he would be doing that night - I would have made sure he stopped in'
A mum has said she 'would have made sure her son stopped in' if she knew what would have happened to him on the night of his tragic death.
Albie Marriott sadly died from 'multi-drug toxicity' after taking a number of recreational drugs on December 21 last year, Lancs Live reports. The 26-year-old had been on a night out with friends in Euxton, in Lancashire, while on home leave from his job as a marine engineer.
At one point during the night, as Albie made his way back to a friend's house, he was seen collecting something from an individual in a car which his friends later presumed to be drugs. After returning to his friend's house, Albie carried on drinking and the group eventually all went to bed.
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The following morning, Albie's friend found him 'curled up and not breathing' and he was pronounced dead after paramedics arrived, an inquest at Preston Coroners' Court heard. His mum Faith described her 'very loving' son as the 'love of my life'.
She said she had not been aware that he took recreational drugs but that 'there were obviously two sides to him'. After his death, she also questioned his friends who admitted they occasionally consumed cocaine and ketamine while on a night out, the inquest heard.
Faith, who was accompanied by Albie's sister Alicia at the inquest, said: "He wasn't a frequent user. He was away for months at a time as a marine engineer.
"His friends have since disclosed that as a group they would take a few drugs together." A post mortem revealed that the cause of Albie's death was multi-drug toxicity.
Substances in his system included cocaine, ketamine and diazepam, as well as alcohol. The inquest heard that the concomitant use of drugs such as those Albie had taken can increase the risk of death and result in profound respiratory depression and a potentially fatal slow heart rate.
Although Albie had some minor injuries to his face detectives from Lancashire Constabulary concluded there was no evidence of third-party involvement or any suspicious circumstances. Returning a conclusion of misadventure - the unintended consequences of an intended act - Assistant Coroner Richard Taylor said: "Albie Arthur Marriott died on December 22, 2023, at Chiltern Avenue in Euxton, having ingested an excess of drugs."
After the inquest, Albie's mum Faith revealed that, although he would spend months at sea at a time, he was 'always given a game' by his beloved Euxton Cricket Club when he returned home. "At home he was always very quiet and very loving, he was a bit of a mummy's boy," Faith told LancsLive.
"He knew I always worried about him but there were obviously two sides to him. His friends said he was the life and soul of the party and I saw a video of him singing karaoke. He never sang!"
Faith issued a warning to other young people about the dangers of taking illegal drugs. "You never really know what is in them or what they're mixed with," she said. "If I had known what he was planning on doing that night I would have made sure he stopped in.
"He was the love of my life. He was due to return to sea the next day so going out that night was so unlike him.
"When the police knocked on my door that morning the first thing I said was 'please don't tell me something has happened to Albie'."
After Albie's death, Euxton Cricket Club described him as a 'legend'. The club posted on Instagram: "A man for all occasions who never complicated the game by thinking about it too much.
"Our thoughts are with his family as this incredibly difficult time. Rest in Peace Albs you'll get a bat again soon don't worry."
