The cause of death of an Oxford Brookes University student was “consistent with drowning”, an inquest has heard.
Richard Okorogheye, 19, was found in a pond in woodland on April 5, 2021, which was only two weeks after he went missing from his home in Ladbroke Grove in west London.
Mr Okorogheye had sickle cell anaemia and left home on the evening of March 22 without his medication.
READ MORE: Oxfordshire council accused of Christmas Market 'wokery'
His mother contacted the police the following day but her son was not officially recorded as missing until 8am on March 24.
Mr Okorogheye had been isolating during the coronavirus pandemic and he only left home to go to hospital to receive blood transufsions for his sickle cell disorder.
At the inquest, a pen portrait written by Ms Joel was read out by Mr Okorogheye’s aunt Toyin Ideozu and he was described as “respectful, hardworking and ambitious boy”.
She said: “Richard was a student at Oxford Brookes University where he was studying computer science and cyber security.
“He had enrolled at university in October 2020, between the first and second covid lockdowns.
“Richard always wanted to make me proud by going to university to ensure that he had the education and skills to enjoy a good standard of life as an adult.
“Richard had a bright future ahead of him.
“He was certain that he would be successful.”
READ MORE: HIF1 road scheme rejection criticised by Oxfordshire MP
Ms Ideozu revealed that Mr Okorogheye had ambitions to move to America and become a successful businessman.
Area coroner Sean Horstead decided the inquest would not look into the wider circumstances surrounding Mr Okorogheye’s death.
His provisional view was that Mr Okorogheye had died by the time his mother first reported him missing to the police.
The inquest heard levels of alcohol and gamme-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) were found in Mr Okorogheye’s blood and urine during tests after is death.
In a summary of a medical report, the coroner said the forensic toxicologist was unable to rule out the possibility that some or all of the alcohol was produced naturally within Mr Okorogheye’s body after death.
READ MORE: Oxfordshire politicians clash over Uxbridge election result
The inquest heard the levels of GHB suggest they were produced by the body after death rather than ingested or administered.
The post-mortem examination showed Mr Okorogheye’s lungs were “somewhat overexpanded” and his spleen was enlarged which would be “consistent with a history of sickle cell disorder”.
Help support trusted local news
Sign up for a digital subscription now: oxfordmail.co.uk/subscribe
As a digital subscriber you will get:
- Unlimited access to the Oxford Mail website
- Advert-light access
- Reader rewards
- Full access to our app
About the author
To sign up to Ed's weekly Politics newsletter, click here: https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/newsletters/
Ed specialises in writing political stories for the Oxford Mail and The Oxford Times.
He joined in the team in February 2023, after completing a History undergraduate degree at the University of York and studying for his NCTJ diploma in London.
Ed’s weekly politics newsletter is released every Saturday morning.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here