Tyrone Woxvold: Coroner shares findings in tragic death of teen who died of drug overdose
A teenager who died of a fatal overdose was scheduled to visit a drug and alcohol counselor for help on the day he tragically lost his life.
Tyrone Woxvold, 15, was found lying on the floor of an apartment in Richmond, in Melbourne’s south-east, on November 24, 2019.
Emergency services rushed to the scene after his mother Carolyn Woxvold found her son unconscious.
Tyrone could not be saved and health authorities ruled his death not suspicious.
On Tuesday, coroner Sarah Gebert determined that Tyrone died of an accidental overdose of heroin and methamphetamine.
An inquest heard he was due to visit a drug and alcohol worker later on the day of his death
He was just a few weeks away from his 16th birthday and was planning to get his driver’s license.
Ms Gebert described teenagers like Tyrone as “the most valuable and vulnerable members of our community”.
The coroner ruled Tuesday that Tyrone Woxvold, 15 (pictured), died of an accidental overdose of heroin and methamphetamine
An inquest heard that Tyrone (pictured right with his mother Carolyn) was due to visit a drug and alcohol counselor on the day he died
Mrs Woxvold had previously said that health authorities should have provided her son with better care.
“He slipped through the net, he should have been monitored more closely,” she told the Herald Sun.
“The system failed him. He relied on them and they weren’t there when he needed them.”
Tyrone was in a juvenile care facility and lived just metres from a safe injection room in downtown Richmond.
He should not have been allowed access to the medically supervised facility, as this service is only accessible to persons aged 18 and over.
Tyrone began losing a lot of weight after he started using methamphetamine, but the side effects of the drug made him feel better about himself.
Tyrone attended Westall Secondary College in Melbourne’s south-east after enrolling in 2015.
Tyrone (pictured) died a few weeks before his 16th birthday
He had difficulty attending school regularly and was soon expelled.
He started using drugs when he lived in the apartment with his mother and her partner.
Ms Gebert will release the full findings in a written statement later.
In 2023, the state government introduced legislation to make the Medically Supervised Injecting Service (MSIR) an ongoing service in North Richmond.
The step was taken after the MSIR was tested for five years, from 2018 to 2022.
Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Victoria Health for comment.
