A 15-YEAR-OLD died from a drugs overdose the day after celebrating his birthday, an inquest heard.

Sam Curry died in Basildon Hospital after he was found in a life-threatening condition at a home in South Benfleet.

The East of England Ambulance Service received a call that a boy was in the upstairs of the address and unresponsive in the early hours of July 18.

The teenager, who had been celebrating his birthday with friends the previous day, was assessed by paramedics and found to be in a life-threatening condition.

He was taken to hospital and later died the same day.

A post mortem examination found that Sam had died after consuming drugs which sent him into cardiac arrest.

The inquest into his death was held at Essex Coroner’s Court in Chelmsford.

Sam’s family said they believe the outcome of the police investigation into his death could have been different had the force been called immediately.

Phillip Sweeney, clinical regional manager for the ambulance control centres of the East of England Ambulance Service Trust, made an apology to Sam’s family.

Mr Sweeney said a new document had been finalised the day before the inquest. It recommends teams contact police for patients that are under 18 and go into cardiac arrest, as officers had not been contacted before Sam died in hospital.

Mr Sweeney said: “They [the dispatch team] were ensuring the job had appropriate resources and the hospital was early informed of Sam’s arrival.

“They had other things that were higher priority to get the best care for Sam that they could. They admitted it wasn’t something they did or thought about at the time.”

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Area Coroner Michelle Brown said: “Bearing in mind this happened a year ago, nothing was put into place until the day before the inquest, is that correct?”

Mr Sweeney said that was correct.

Det Insp Yoni Adler, the officer in charge of the case, said the police did not secure the scene to examine for evidence until 9pm.

When asked by the coroner if he had an explanation as to why it took so long, he said: “I’m unsure as to why as someone who has dealt with crime cases previously I would have expected the scene to be identified and officers to be sent there.

“I don’t know why that didn’t happen. That scene wasn’t secured until 9pm. I can’t explain it.”

Touching tributes were paid to Sam following his death, saying he was "funny, kind and loveable".

Coroner Brown said that there was nothing in the evidence to show that Sam would have survived had police or ambulance crews acted differently.

Addressing the family, she said: “I know it won’t have the answers that you want but it’s another part of the process that has concluded.

“I can’t understand or at all comprehend what you must be feeling.”

She recorded a verdict of drugs related death.