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More on KentOnline
A young wildlife volunteer who died at his home in Sheerness had taken a fatal amount of MDMA, an inquest has concluded.
Jacob Endean, 21, was found unresponsive by his stepfather Andy Endean at around 7.30am on July 18.
Paramedics were unable to save him.
At an inquest at Maidstone's Archbishop's Palace on Tuesday, coroner James Dillon heard Mr Endean had overdosed on MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy. He had taken nearly five times the level known to be fatal.
The inquest heard Jacob had a history of drug and alcohol abuse and mental health issues that had started at the age of 15 or 16.
Over the years, he had been given medication for depression and anxiety and had several interactions with mental health services.
However, on his last assessment in March, things had been looking up for Jacob. He told his mental health nurse that he'd had no alcohol or drugs for a few months.
He was planning to go to university in September to study ecology and conservation, topics he was described as being "passionate" about.
Jacob, who was a volunteer at the Sheppey-based Kent Wildlife Rescue charity for nearly two years, declined further involvement with the mental health services because he felt he was coping.
His parents Mel and Andy had previously described Jacob as "intelligent, funny and exceptionally caring”.
They said his drug use had been a method of coping with stress and that lockdown had had a negative impact on his wellbeing.
They said: "Prior to the week in which he died, he had been clean of drugs for a couple of months; this was a relapse, which tragically proved fatal."
They added: "Jacob was a very happy young man, but unfortunately suffered short bouts of deep unhappiness."
Mr Dillon ruled there was no indication that Jacob had intended to take his own life and concluded his death was the result of an unintended overdose.
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