Brit student died after accidentally hitting his head falling into hotel swimming pool on holiday, inquest hears
A BRIT student died while on holiday when he hit his head falling into a hotel swimming pool, an inquest has heard.
Student Charlie Hopkins, 23, from Buckley, north Wales, tragically died while visiting a friend in Tulum, Mexico on April 8, 2021.
The inquest heard it was a mystery how he fell into the water because no-one else was in the pool in the 1am tragedy.
CCTV footage showed Charlie walking on a balcony through the hotel’s reception area in his underpants on April 9, 2021.
The hearing was told no-one else was in the pool in Tulum, Mexico, but “very soon afterwards” a camera captured the water in the pool being disturbed.
Another guest discovered his body on the bottom of the pool about five hours later.
Charlie, of Buckley, North Wales, had studied history at University College, London, but did not complete the course.
In a statement read at the inquest his father Mark described him as “bubbly” and “the light and soul of every room he was in”. He was a keen musician and strong campaigner for LGBT rights.
He said that Charlie had good friends in London where he lived – but was glad to jet off on holiday when the lockdown restrictions during the Covid pandemic were eased.
He checked into the two-storey Hotel Turquoise Petit in Tulum on April 8, 2021, having gone there at the invitation of his friend Alex who lived in Mexio.
The inquest in Ruthin heard he had a video call to his parents almost every day while he was there.
“We became concerned when we didn’t hear from him for 24 hours,” said Mr Hopkins.
On April 9 they received the “devastating” call that he had been found dead.
His father said: “He was a lively, loving, trusting young man. He saw only the good in everyone.
“Charlie would always finish talking to someone and say ‘I love that person’ – that’s just the sort of person he was.”
Mr Hopkins’ family said his death has left them “broken” and that their lives have been “turned upside down.”
A post-mortem examination was carried out in Mexico. His body was later repatriated.
Home Office pathologist Dr Brian Rodgers confirmed the cause of death as “a blunt force head injury and drowning, consistent with a fall from height”.
John Gittins, senior coroner for North Wales East and Central, said initally there were some initial concerns that he had been assaulted.
But the coroner said he had probably hit his head somehow while entering the pool, adding: “There is absolutely no reason to give consideration to it being a deliberate act.”
He recorded a conclusion of accidental death.