Brit found dead on hotel luggage trolley after 'play fighting' in lobby

An inquest has heard that a British holidaymaker was discovered dead on a luggage trolley at a lavish all-inclusive hotel in Mexico following a bout of "play fighting" in the lobby. Dean Wright, aged 33 from Westerhope, Newcastle, tragically passed away at the five-star Cancun resort in December 2019 while vacationing with his then-partner.

The couple had been enjoying their time at the upscale Riu Hotel operated by TUI before the tragedy struck.

Nearly five years on, an inquest at Newcastle Coroner's Court delved into the events surrounding Dean's sudden collapse in the lobby bathroom between 5am and 7am. With police inquiries both in Mexico and the UK concluded without resolution, Dean's "devastated" family sought clarity on the incidents leading to his death.

Subsequent medical assessments in England indicated that Dean did not sustain a serious head injury as initially suspected, and no signs of external involvement were evidenced. Detective Sergeant Neill Jobling from Northumbria Police shed light on that fateful night, revealing that Dean and Rebecca Platts, his partner, had purchased and used cocaine with another man from California.

Despite these revelations, it surfaced at the inquest that Rebecca retired to their room before Dean's collapse, having implored him to cease drug use, reports the Mirror.

DS Jobling noted: "In summary he (the male guest) witnessed an altercation within the bar with Dean and others. There was suggestion there was a food fight or some part of an altercation."

"He said Dean then goes into the restroom to effectively clean himself up from the food that was thrown. He then stated that there was some further altercation inside those toilets but couldn't provide any further detail that would help today."

There was also an initial suggestion that Dean was restrained inside the bathroom but that account could not be corroborated by authorities. Home Office pathologist Dr Louise Mulcahy examined Dean's body and found his heart to be enlarged.

In her statement, Dr Mulcahy said: "I was informed on the 14th of December Dean was on holiday with his girlfriend in Cancun, Mexico."

"At approximately 5am on the 14th of December 2019 there had been some play fighting and an altercation in the communal area of the hotel. Dean was then said to attend the public bathroom to clean up at approximately 7am that morning. It was reported by an American they heard screaming and shouting."

"There were six security guards said to be assisting Dean however there was also known to be some confusion about what had been said or heard as the American kept changing their story. Dean was placed on a luggage trolley and removed from the communal bathroom before resuscitation attempts were commenced but Dean's death was confirmed."

Dr Mulcahy informed the hearing that although an initial examination in Mexico attributed a heart attack as the cause of Dean's death, a work-related health check prior to his passing found his heart to be in good shape. His family sought a second postmortem, which revealed bruises on his head, torso, and limbs.

Yet Dr Mulcahy stated, in response to questioning from Ms Dilks, that the injuries did not appear to have been inflicted by another person. Adding detail, Dr Mulcahy noted: "The only injury that would potentially raise concern was the black eye and split above the eye however that could have occurred from a simple fall or a collapse."

The postmortem in Mexico reportedly omitted certain tests on Dean's brain and heart, but further inspection in the UK identified his heart as "mildly enlarged," potentially due to hypertension.

Dr Mulcahy confirmed: "There was no pathological or radiological evidence of skull fracture."

The inquiry also learned of alcohol and cocaine in Dean's system, which could explain the bruising if he had fallen. In a written memorial, Dean's mother, Maria Wray, mentioned her son's career transition from electrician to offshore qualified professional.

Dean, who had advanced to become a wind farm inspector, travelled the globe for his work. His mother Maria reflected on his life: "Dean has always been very hard working. Dean had played rugby from an early age and was quickly chosen to play for the county and was elected for trials for England. Dean always loved football and was a season ticket holder for Newcastle."

She continued, detailing the profound loss felt by the family: "The loss of Dean has huge impact on my family. The family are devastated and completely broken. Dean was the oldest grandchild and the oldest nephew. Dean was a very generous person and he would give you his last penny. Dean's funeral was almost a celebration with over 500 people attending from all over the UK and Australia."

Coroner Karen Dilks concluded that Dean's death was accidental, explaining: "Accidental means someone has acted intentionally, they chose to do what they did, and they didn't intend the consequences."

In a compassionate address to Dean's mother, Ms Dilks said: "I can't imagine how difficult the circumstances have been for you. Losing a child in any situation is devastating but to have it complicated by another country and the complexities of that along with the investigations that followed. My heart goes out to you."