One dead, two sick after music festival
A Brisbane man has died and two people are in hospital after reportedly taking drugs at a music festival on the NSW Central Coast.
QLD News
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A BRISBANE man has died and two people are in hospital after reportedly ingesting an “unknown substance” at a music festival on the NSW Central Coast.
The 22-year-old man, believed to be from Toowong, was taken to Gosford Hospital about 8pm on Saturday but died a short time later, police said.
It is the fourth death at a music festival in three months.
The man had travelled to the Lost Paradise Music Festival at Glenworth Valley, near Gosford, with around 20 friends, and reported to the on-site medical bay complaining of feeling ill at around 6pm on Saturday.
Local Acting Superintendent Rod Peet said the man’s friends had been interviewed by police and had travelled to Gosford Hospital where they identified his body.
He said it was the first fatal overdose in the festival’s 15-year history.
A man and a woman remain in hospital in a stable condition after ingesting an unknown substance and becoming sick at the festival.
Police are currently conducting an operation at the festival as inquiries into the man’s death continue.
About 11,000 people attended the festival which started on Friday and continues until January 1.
RELATED
Tragic video of festival victim dancing before death
Party hard: Young keep dying on the dancefloor
DJs on deadly dance scene: ‘We don’t glorify drugs’
A spokeswoman for the Lost Paradise Music Festival said that the man’s death was “very distressing.”
“This is a very distressing incident and our sincerest thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of the deceased,” she said.
“We work closely with local police to try to ensure festival-goers respect our drug free policy and NSW Ambulance to provide extensive medical support across the festival site.”
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she was devastated to hear another life had been lost at a music festival.
“I extend my deepest sympathies to the young man’s family and friends,” she said,
“There is no such thing as a safe illegal drug and I urge everyone who is attending a festival to stay safe and think carefully about the decisions they make around drugs.”
The local Acting Superintendent Rod Peet said festival goers had been caught sneaking drugs into the event in range of items including a barbecue chicken.
“People aren’t carrying it in their pockets, they aren’t that careless,” he said.
“In one instance, someone had tried to inter drugs in the stuffing of a barbecue chicken.
“We have found drugs secreted in Vegemite jars that have been fabricated with false compartments.
Supt Peet said the Lost Paradise Lost would not be closed down because of the death of the Brisbane man.
“At this stage the event is continuing,” said Supt Peet. “It’s running for the next two days and what happens next year will be subject to future discussion.”
He said policing at the event was “adequate” and did not need to be increased because of the fatality.
More than 180 people and 97 vehicles have been searched during a police drug dog operation at the festival and three people have been charged with drug supply offences, police said.
A 21-year-old man from Drummoyne was charged after allegedly being found with 105 MDMA pill and a 23-year-old man from Elanora Heights was charged after allegedly being caught with 80 MDMA pills and 65 bags of cocaine. Both men are due in Gosford Local Court on January 18.
A 23-year-old man from Glendale, near Newcastle, was allegedly found with 26 MDMA pills, and was issued with a field court attendance notice for supplying a prohibited drug.
He is due to appear in the same court on February 5.
The Lost Paradise death comes just three weeks after 19-year-old Callum Brosnan died of a drug overdose at the Knockout Games of Destiny music festival at Sydney Olympic Park.
The death also comes three months after another two people died from drug overdoses at the Defqon. 1 hairstyle dance festival in Penrith.
Golden anniversary couples reveal secrets to lasting love
Brisbane’s golden wedding couples have shared timeless love lessons for Valentine’s Day, urging younger generations to ditch their phones, show respect, and rediscover the art of conversation.
War of words erupts in maternity plans blame game
A big baby blue has erupted over the now-scrapped plans to revamp maternity services at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital that would have included putting grieving women close to crying newborns.