A talented teen rugby player tragically took his own life after fearing he was going to die following a sports injury. Cameron Milton was found dead in his room on the morning of March 29 this year.
The 18-year-old, who was a sixth form student at Bolton School and had ambitions of attending Loughborough University, was discovered by his mum Jo when she went to wake him up. She performed CPR in a desperate bid to resuscitate her son, but told paramedics when they arrived: "He's gone, I know he's gone."
Toxicology tests later revealed he had died from poisoning, Lancs Live reports. Cameron, who was the youngest of three brothers, was described by his heartbroken family as "the light of our lives".
An inquest into his death, held at Accrington Town Hall last week, heard that the young sportsmen was concerned about symptoms he had started experiencing since suffering a concussion during a rugby match in August 2021. Cameron, who lived in Edgworth near Darwen, had been experiencing dizziness, tremors, loss of balance and heart palpitations.
Despite several trips to A&E and undergoing various tests, doctors were unable to determine what was causing his symptoms and advised against a brain CT scan because of the risk of exposure to radiation at such a young age. His parents had planned to get the scan done privately, but Cameron told them he didn't want them to have to pay for it.
The teen's friends from Bolton School said he had voiced fears that he was dying. Cameron was predicted high grades in classics, PE and geography, however his ongoing symptoms meant he had missed several classes. His mum Jo Milton, who works at Rossendale School, said the Covid pandemic also had "a massive impact" on him.
Living in such a rural location, lockdown measures meant he was particularly isolated and struggled with not being able to see his friends. Mrs Milton said: "He loved being with his brothers and his mates. He was always up for a laugh and he wanted to become a personal trainer."
She added that Cameron would test his heart rate and blood pressure on a regular basis, which both occasionally spiked to high readings, including a heart rate of 180 beats per minute. Despite his health concerns, he was "still laughing and being his normal self".
In a statement, Mrs Milton continued: "One day in early January he came to me upset and crying. He couldn't speak for half an hour.
"He said he'd had a full body tremor. It lasted for two minutes. The next day he went to school and had more tremors. That's when he started struggling to get to school."
ECG tests and blood tests came bak clear, but Cameron was convinced he had a heart condition. He was "scared" of dying and recorded voice notes on Snapchat almost as if "in the event of his unexpected death". On the night of Monday, March 28, Cameron told his mum "love you" to his mum as normal before heading to bed. At 7am the next morning, Mrs Milton found her youngest son dead in his room.
After "clearly poisonous" plant material was found in Cameron's room behind his bunk beds, police launched an investigation. Officers also examined his phone, and found that he had deleted his search history.
Cameron's ex-girlfriend gave a statement to police in which she said he had voiced intentions of taking his own life. Three months before his death, in December 2021, "he had lost his family dog, one of the greatest loves of his life, and he had been unable to play rugby or go to sixth form", she said.
Returning a conclusion of suicide, Assistant Coroner Kate Bisset said: "Cameron was obviously a very much-loved son, brother, grandson and friend and his loss is a tragedy beyond comprehension. He had a kind and caring nature, a bubbly personality and was skilled in sportsmanship.
"He was a sixth form student with high aspirations. Cameron was happy, positive and had a bright future. He sounds like a truly wonderful young man."
Following the inquest, Cameron's dad Marcus said his son "had a smile that lit up a room". In a tribute shared on Facebook following his son's death, he wrote: "Live every moment until your last. It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of my youngest son Cameron.
"He is the light of our lives and will forever be that young cheeky kid we have known for the past 18 yrs . He will forever be in our hearts and will never be forgotten. We ask that we are left alone at this time to grieve .
"He may not be with us in body but he will always be here in spirit. Good night baby boy from your Mum & Dad x"
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