A 16-year-old boy who died at a theme park in Wales is believed to have suffered a seizure and cardiac arrest before his death, according to the coroner.
Taha Soomro, from Grangetown in Cardiff, died at Barry Island Pleasure Park on May 23 of this year, according to an earlier news release from South Wales Police.
“Police were called just before 5 p.m. [local time on Friday, May 23] with a report of a 16-year-old teenage boy suffering a medical episode,” the initial release stated. “Despite efforts of emergency services, Taha died at the scene.”
Details of the teenager’s “medical episode” at the park were outlined during an inquest opening at the coroner’s court in Pontypridd on Tuesday, Nov. 18, per the BBC.
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South Wales Police is continuing to investigate the death of 16-year-old Taha Soomro at Barry Island Pleasure Park.
A post-mortem examination carried out at Cardiff’s University Hospital of Wales was inconclusive, the outlet reported.
A court usher and admin assistant for the Coroner’s Office in Pontypridd confirmed that a coroner told the court on Tuesday that Soomro is believed to have suffered a seizure and cardiac arrest at Barry Island Pleasure Park on May 23, and that his cause of death remains “unascertained.”
They added that they were “unable to provide further information regarding this matter” at this time.
The case has now been formally adjourned, the court usher and admin assistant said.
“Once a case is opened for an Inquest, it is common practice to adjourn the matter to acquire all the relevant evidence to assist the Coroner in making a determination of fact at a future date,” they explained in an email.
South Wales Police previously responded to reports on May 23 that Soomro was in apparent cardiac arrest at the park, with initial information indicating that he was believed to be having both a seizure and a cardiac arrest, according to Wales Online.
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Coroner Graeme Hughes said during Tuesday’s inquest opening, “I have heard evidence this morning touching on the death of Taha Ali Soomro. On the information I have heard it’s necessary to open an inquest,” per the outlet.
An inquest date has not yet been set, Wales Online reported.
According to the earlier police release, a 15-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of assault in connection with the incident. An update on May 25 stated that he had been released on bail pending further enquiries.
Barry Island Pleasure Park said in a statement following Soomro’s death that staff “did their best to assist the emergency services but, unfortunately, the boy suffered a medical emergency and could not be saved,” per the BBC.
South Wales Police, the University Hospital of Wales and Barry Island Pleasure Park did not immediately respond to requests for additional information.
