British father, 53, dies in Jamaica after trying to drink all 21 cocktails on pool bar menu 

A British father died in Jamaica after attempting a challenge at a hotel pool bar to try and drink all 21 cocktails on the menu, an inquest has heard.

Timothy Southern, from Lichfield, Staffordshire, had drunk 12 of the cocktails when he went to his room at the Royal Decameron Club Caribbean, in Saint Ann.

The 53-year-old was on holiday with his sister, children, and other relatives when tragedy struck in May, 2022. 

Loved-ones rushed to Timothy’s room after the alarm was raised.

One of them told his inquest: ‘He was on his back choking. I put him in the recovery position and screamed for an ambulance. 

‘He was making a gurgling sound. As soon as he was in the recovery position he vomited. I was shouting his name with no response.

The 53-year-old was on holiday with his sister, children, and other relatives at the hotel when tragedy struck in May, 2022

‘When the nurse arrived I said had an ambulance been called and she said ‘no’. I thought she would take over. But that was not the case. 

‘I noticed he was starting to lose temperature. I checked his pulse and couldn’t find it.

‘She said he had a pulse. I was starting to lose it. I got a full look at his face and I thought he had passed away.

‘I said, “Don’t just sit there looking at him, start CPR”. 

‘She only gave him chest compressions. Maybe if she had known what she was doing, maybe he would still be here. The service and treatment he received was disgusting.’

The inquest heard Timothy had already been drinking brandy and beer in the morning when he met two Canadian women trying to complete the 21 cocktail challenge before midnight to celebrate one of their birthdays.

A pathologist in Kingston, Jamaica, gave the cause of death as ‘acute gastroenteritis due to alcohol consumption’. 

But the inquest heard toxicology reports could take three years to come back from Jamaica.

Staffordshire area coroner Emma Serrano has ruled the death was alcohol-related.

Staffordshire area coroner Emma Serrano has ruled his death in Jamaica was alcohol-related

After his death, Mr Southern’s family raised almost £10,000 on GoFundMe to bring him back to the UK after they discovered the holiday insurance he thought he had through his bank did not, in fact, cover him. 

A family statement read: ‘As you’re all probably aware; unfortunately our dad, Timmy Southern passed away whilst on holiday in Jamaica. 

‘Unfortunately, after doing some digging to find information about his insurance we have found out that he’s not actually covered by his bank (as he had originally thought). 

‘This leaves us with an impossibly large amount of money to find in order to bring him home and pay for his funeral. 

‘We know dad was loved by so many with friends all over the world, the biggest character most would ever come across. 

‘We’re hoping by doing this we could try to raise as much money as we can to get him home so that we, as a family, get to say our goodbyes. Anything that is left over from the funds we raise will go to the MIND charity.’