An investigation revealed the details about a 20-year-old university film student who was found dead in January in Manchester, England.
During what should have been a fun evening in December with his parents at The Warehouse Project in the city center, Charley Gadd ran off from his parents, apparently as a joke. His father ran after him and detained him, but the young man ran off again.
A desperate search began, but the family had to report him missing. Video footage showed him in the area at around 1:00 AM. He was later seen in a parking lot near the River Irwell.
Although the footage shows him walking across the parking lot, it does not show him leaving.
Police did a search for Charley and found his body in the River Irwell. He had drowned.
Police Coroners Officer David Wood of Greater Manchester Police, said: ‘It would have been impossible to know that under the car park was water.’
The pathologist that examined the body told the court that he had been immersed in water for a long time.
Senior Coroner Alison Mutch said, “It’s clear that on the night in question Charley was messing around and ran off and sadly became completely disorientated in a city that he was unfamiliar with. I can only imagine the anguish his parents felt that night looking for Charley and wondering what on earth to do.”
She said that the autopsy sadly showed that he had gone into the river and was unable to get out.
According to Mutch, “At that time of year it would have been very challenging to get out. I am satisfied it was a complete accident that happened due to a series of bad luck.”
Mutch added that although there was alcohol in his system, it was not at a toxic level.
Charley’s father said, “He packed a huge amount into a tragically short life. I was hugely proud of him. I could not have been prouder.”