A schoolboy and his grandfather have been found dead inside a tent during a camping trip.
Kaicy Rakai Zelden Brown, 12, and his 66-year-old grandfather David Brown died in a suspected accidental carbon monoxide poisoning which may have been caused by a cooking stove, an inquest has heard.
The young boy was found unresponsive alongside his grandfather by his uncle, who had been sleeping in a tent nearby, at around 11am on Sept 14.
Kaicy and his brother had travelled 200 miles from their home in Early, Berkshire, to the campsite in Powys, Wales, for a family weekend.
Emergency services were called to the scene but the pair could not be saved.
Senior coroner Graeme Hughes told the Pontypridd Coroner’s Court that a toxicology test would determine the carbon monoxide levels in the 12-year-old’s blood.
He told family members: “My deepest condolences to all of you for the loss of both Kaicy and David in such tragic circumstances.”
The inquest also heard an investigation was being carried out into the death of Kaicy’s grandfather, David, who lived in Wokingham, Berkshire.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to support David’s widow, Mandi, by Sonning Church of England Primary School, which Kaicy attended until a few months ago before starting secondary school.
Mandi had been a member of staff at the school for 20 years, and acted as both a grandmother and guardian to Kaicy and his brother.
A statement on the fundraising page, which has received more than £6,000 in donations so far, said: “This is a desperately sad situation, not least of all because Kaicy was only 12 years old.
“We, as a school and local community of parents, friends and colleagues, are in shock, and we are all sending our condolences and deepest love and support to Mrs Brown and their family at this time.”
The statement went on to pay tribute to Kaicy, who was described as “a kind, thoughtful and emotionally-aware boy who lit up a room with his smile and good sense of humour.”
‘A gentle soul’
The school recalled Kaicy’s “fantastic” performance as Mrs Wolf on stage and his combining of “acting skills and sense of humour to put on a hilarious display” at the school’s fashion show.
It added: “‘A gentle soul, Kaicy made friends easily and was loved by his classmates and adults alike for his easy-going nature and support for others.
“Kaicy always upheld our Sonning values and was a true ambassador for the school.
“Kaicy was one of those pupils who had such a bright future ahead of him and someone we always felt would achieve great things in his life – a thought which makes this situation even harder as we remember someone so special.”
A second fundraiser has been set up to help Kaicy’s mother, Jessica, who lost both her son and father in the “unimaginable” tragedy.
The GoFundMe page, which was created by the grieving mother’s friends, said: “The unimaginable happened to her son Kaicy, 12, and her father.
“They passed away from carbon monoxide poisoning on a camping trip.
“The money raised will go towards funeral costs, a memorial and legal fees as Jess wants to bring her boy home. We don’t want her to go through anymore headache at this sad time.”
The page has raised more than £2,000 and also includes a segment on carbon monoxide awareness.
