A CORONER described the death of a 25-year-old Rowley Regis man as "deeply tragic" as he concluded that he had taken his own life.
Henry Yates was found dead at his home in Halesowen Street on January 15 having taken a cocktail of drugs - Black Country Coroners Court was told.
Senior coroner for the Black Country Zafar Siddique told the hearing that Henry, a student, was found by his landlord on the sofa in the living room, with a glass with a white powdered substance on the table along with a note addressed to a friend plus a box file and mobile phone.
Weighing scales, two bags of white powder residue and medication, plus a spoon covered with a white powdery substance, were also found in the kitchen.
He said: "The police have said looking at the circumstances it appears he's taken a mixture of medication which sadly led to his death."
Mr Siddique said the note left detailed information about what to do in the event of his death and details of what drugs he had taken.
Henry, who was single, was found to have died from acute respiratory depression caused by multi drug toxicity - he said.
Jennie Smith, a friend, told the court how Henry's sister Eloise had taken her own life a year ago and that she had last seen him for a meal in Shrewsbury and they had visited the place where Eloise's ashes had been scattered.
She said Henry "seemed really happy" and upbeat at the time and she described him as a "lovely person".
Henry's foster family also told the court how he had seemed to be doing well when they last saw him.
Giving evidence, Terry Radbourne told how Henry had moved in with her and her family as his sister was already living with them.
He suffered throughout his young and adolescent life with bouts of depression, she said, and she told the court he would cut himself off from practically everybody and that he had taken an overdose in October 2014.
She said: "Henry was offered lots of help throughout his time with our family but he didn't want to engage with health care professionals. He didn't want any help, he didn't want anybody to know how bad he felt. He really struggled to open up."
She said she saw him in December and "he seemed really chatty" and he had said he was "doing really well" and she added: "He didn't give any indication at that point that he intended to do that."
Foster sister Lydia-Jane Rogers said Henry had told her he was graduating and he'd declined offers of help. She said: "It sounded like he had a plan in place. We came away thinking he was going to be ok."
The coroner, however, said of Henry's untimely death: "He left a note indicating his intention to take his own life, he'd taken various medication, he had in fact taken a mixture of drugs and this was intentional."
He offered his "deepest and sincerest condolences" to the family and said it was "deeply tragic what's happened" as he concluded Henry had taken his own life.
If you are feeling anxious or worried, or just need to talk, you can call The Samaritans for help or advice on 116 123 anytime.
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