'We will never know how teen came to die in river'
Family HandoutIt will never be possible to know how a teen found dead in a river came to be there, a coroner has concluded.
The body of Jonty Evans, 16, was discovered by police divers in the river Weaver near Riverside, Nantwich, on 1 September.
His mother Martina Cliffe had earlier shared suspicions that others were involved in his death, but the coroner said she could not "rule in or out any third party involvement."
Recording a narrative verdict at the end of a two-day hearing at Cheshire Coroner's Court, Victoria Davies said Jonty died from the effects of immersion in water, but the possibilities of him either falling in or anyone else's involvement could not "be ruled out".
Jonty's family reported him missing the day after he failed to return home from a night out at Nantwich Food Festival, on 30 August.
In the hours before his death, he had been seen sharing a bottle of gin and drinking vodka and another clear liquid.
He was last seen on CCTV shortly before 01:00 BST on 31 August entering Mill Island alone, near the junction of Mill Street.
The court heard from Home Office pathologist Dr Matthew Lyall, who examined Jonty's body three days after it was found.
He said he had identified minor grazes and bruises on his skin which were common to bodies found in shallow water.
He explained he could not determine the cause of unusual bruising to muscles at the front of the neck, but ruled out strangulation since the voice box and hyoid bone were uninjured.
"That bruise in itself does not prove a fatal injury... the evidence is simply not there to advance strangulation as explanation for the death," he told the coroner.
In his report, Dr Lyall offered the likely cause of death to be the "effects of immersion" and said this could include both drowning or the impact of cold water.
He had found features that could suggest drowning, such as well expanded lungs, and liquid in the chest but, "didn't feel that they were sufficiently developed that I would settle that they must be that", he said.
Getty ImagesJonty's body had 186 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, described in his report as "marked intoxication". The drink driving limit is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millitres of blood.
"I think most people who are drunk they'd probably be around 150," he said.
"So it's safe to assume that this level of 186 would have had a noticeable effect on Jonty?" Ms Davies asked.
"I think that's likely," the pathologist replied.
Unanswered questions
Martina Cliffe, Jonty's mother, told the court on Tuesday she had heard her son calling for help and people "plotting" against him on home security footage from a property on Riverside, near the site.
Recording her verdict, Ms Davies said: "I do not hear what the family hear.
"I cannot rule out there are people talking about Jonty but the footage is largely inaudible and I cannot say where they are.
"Evidentially, I find the footage obtained from Riverside does not rule in or out any third party involvement."
She acknowledged, while police had determined there was not anyone else in the park at the time of Jonty's death, save for one couple who had not come forward, there were numerous ways to enter and it "remains a possibility there was someone else there".
The court also heard on Tuesday Jonty had become covered in tar earlier in the night when climbing onto a lorry with a friend.
Ms Davies suggested it was also possible he may have overbalanced and fallen into the river while attempting to wash it off, but said there was no direct evidence to support this.
In concluding, she said she was satisfied Jonty's death was caused by being in the water and the evidence weighted in favour of it being an accident.
"I cannot say whether this was due to drowning or the reflex effects of being in water, which can lead to cardiac arrest," she said.
"Sadly, I think we are never going to be able to establish the true circumstances as to how Jonty came to be in the water."
Addressing Jonty's mother and aunt, she said she appreciated how frustrating it would be to have unanswered questions.
"I am truly very sorry to you and the rest of your family for your loss," she added.