Man who ate poisonous fungi while foraging was found drowned in river

A nature lover crippled by chronic health conditions after accidentally consuming poisonous mushrooms while foraging for food was found drowned in a river.

Shaun Ward nearly died after eating the fungi in October last year but pulled through – only to be left wracked by ill-health, as well as insomnia, visions of mushrooms and 'distressing recall of his dead brother'.

His GP had prescribed anti-depressants before he was found dead in a shallow section of a river on May 5.

Details emerged at an inquest where the community carer's mother, Jenna Ward, said: 'Shaun went foraging in the wild, picking berries and other wild mushrooms. He picked the wrong thing and ended up in hospital as a result of what he had consumed.

'He was in a coma and we thought then that we might lose him. The doctor said he may have brain damage when he came out of the coma but he recovered.

'After this, he seemed to be ill an awful lot though and had chest infections, ear infections, and was just generally more unwell and had a lot more time off work sick. It was thought it weakened his immune system.'

A report from Dr Shaun Conway, a GP at Mr Ward's family surgery near his home in Hingham, Norfolk, revealed he attended an appointment on April 11, about three weeks before his death.

'During his last consultation, the main thrust was about the distress he had felt since his accidental mushroom overdose in 2023,' he wrote.

'He was troubled by insomnia, seeing visions of mushrooms and distressing recall of his dead brother. He was tearful.'

Mr Ward had suffered from anxiety since 2015 and was left 'devastated' after his brother Arron died the following year, the inquest in Norwich heard.

His mother told the hearing: 'This was obviously devastating to the whole family and Shaun did struggle with this. However, he was supported by the whole family.

'The loss of his brother is what had impacted him the most throughout his life. He would speak about Arron an awful lot and used to say he took on a part of his brother when Arron passed away.

'He did suffer with some mental health problems after. He was with the Wellbeing Clinic initially and struggled to sleep and would often have nightmares. He was on medication to help him sleep.'

Mr Ward, 32, who lived with his parents, spent time with them on the evening of May 4 before going out on his motorbike.

Norfolk Police were informed the following day that a motorbike appeared to have been abandoned a on a farm track in the nearby village of Reymerston and found personal items scattered on the ground when they arrived at around 1pm.

Mr Ward's body was found in the waterway near Reymerston Quarry shortly afterwards and paramedics declared him dead at the scene.

The inquest heard it was a spot where he had spent time with his brother and friends when he was younger.

A toxicology report found Mr Ward had drunk enough alcohol to 'impair cognitive behaviour and motor functions', while mixing it with medication he was on may have caused 'excess sedation'.

The medical cause of death was given as 'drowning due to cognitive impairment due to alcohol and sedatives'.

The pathologist stated: 'The level of sedation caused by the sedatives and alcohol would have been such that he would not have felt any discomfort. He would have been asleep and would have passed quickly.'

Norfolk senior coroner Jacqueline Lake recorded a conclusion of accidental death, explaining there had been 'no indication' Mr Ward had been thinking of taking his own life.

She added: 'To find suicide, I must find there was an intentional act with an intention to die.'

In a tribute read out during the inquest, Mr Ward's mother described him as a 'loving, caring and kind son' who 'loved his job' providing care and support to young adults and people with dementia.

She said: 'He loved being outdoors. He loved the sunshine, rivers and all kinds of water.'

Dr Conway added: 'Shaun was a lovely, sweet-natured young man and his loss is a terrible tragedy.'