An inquest into the death of 31-year-old Acton-based music entrepreneur Jamal Edwards has concluded that he died as the result of a cardiac arrythmia caused by taking cocaine.
The assistant coroner, Ivor Collett, revealed there was cocaine toxicity in Edwards’ body, along with alcohol, which contributed towards his death after he returned home from performing a DJ set in Islington in the early hours of 20 February 2022.
The coroner’s report said: “After drinking some alcohol with a friend, his behaviour changed and became erratic and he appeared paranoid, before he collapsed and became unconscious. Attempts at resuscitation failed and life was declared extinct at 10.36.”
In a statement read out at the inquest, Edwards’ mother Brenda Edwards described him as “a beautiful and selfless person”.
She added: “Since growing up with his family in Acton he made it his personal mission to open doors for others to walk through. To help people through life, to love and to laugh. And most importantly, to just make people happy. Jamal helped so many, working tirelessly to give a platform to people. His charitable work stretched near and far, from working at homeless shelters to giving back to his roots in St Vincent and the Grenadines.”
In an earlier statement in February following his death, his mother said at the time: “I have sadly learned that the cause of Jamal’s devastating passing was due to cardiac arrhythmia. He had the world at his fingertips – a zest for life and he was unwittingly taken away far too soon. Yet we have come to terms with what has happened, and Jamal is proof that this can happen to anyone. These types of substances are extremely unpredictable, and we can only hope that this will encourage others to think wisely when faced with similar situations in the future. His passing has shown that any one bad decision on any one occasion can lead to devastating consequences.”
