A British holidaymaker in Jamaica died after trying to drink all 21 cocktails on the menu at a hotel pool bar, an inquest has heard. Timothy Southern took part in the challenge having drunk beer and brandy in the morning already.
The 53-year-old took part in the challenge to drink all the cocktails after meeting two Canadian women who were doing it for their birthdays. Timothy, from Lichfield, Staffordshire, managed to get through 12 cocktails before going to his room at the Royal Decameron Club Caribbean, in Saint Ann, an inquest at Staffordshire Coroners' Court heard.
He became sick and died a short time later. His family hit out at hotel staff during the inquest and how they acted after the alarm was raised, StokeonTrentLive reports.
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Timothy was on holiday with his sister, children, and other relatives when the tragedy struck in May, 2022. The family said they alerted staff as soon as they realised he was seriously unwell.
Speaking at his inquest, one of them 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.
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"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.
"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."
A pathologist in Kingston, Jamaica, gave the cause of death as 'acute gastroenteritis due to alcohol consumption'. But the inquest heard toxicology reports could take three years to come back from Jamaica.
Staffordshire area coroner Emma Serrano has ruled the death was alcohol-related.
