By PAUL YANDALL
Police are awaiting a toxicology report to explain the mysterious death of a Paeroa youth.
Trent Robert Hughes, aged 17, a plumber's apprentice, died after collapsing at a party in Hikutaia, north of Paeroa, about 1.30 am on Sunday.
He was rushed to Thames Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Senior Sergeant Brian Miller of Waihi said that an autopsy had not revealed the cause of Mr Hughes' death.
A toxicology report had been sought from the ESR in Auckland. The results might not be available for two weeks.
"Right now, we don't have a clue what's happened," Senior Sergeant Miller said. "We've asked for the report to see if there were any toxins in his bloodstream."
He said he could not comment on the cause of death, including the possibility that drugs might have been involved, until the toxicology report was received.
"I know we had a fit young man socialising with friends one moment, and he was dead the next."
Mr Hughes was attending a supervised birthday party at the Hikutaia Hall with about 200 others when he collapsed.
Two police officers supervising the party, and its organisers, Catherine and Stephen Roycroft, administered CPR to Mr Hughes until local doctor Tony Mayne and ambulance staff arrived.
Mr Hughes was taken to Thames Hospital but did not respond to treatment and was declared dead on arrival.
Dr Mayne said he arrived at the party to find Mr Hughes not breathing and his heart stopped. He said Mr Hughes' pupils were fixed and dilated, indicating brain death.
"When someone's heart suddenly stops beating the first suspicion is some sort of congenital heart condition.
"The thing is that this wasn't shown by the post-mortem [examination]."
Mr Hughes' father, Philip Hughes, said his son was a fit and healthy teenager who did not have a medical history and did not dabble in drugs.
"He was as straight as a person can be. He loved the outdoors, he never took drugs ... This is a complete mystery."
He said his son had been feeling slightly ill for a few days leading up to the party, but was not seriously sick.
Plumber Peter Shields said he employed Mr Hughes as an apprentice in July.
"He led the most squeaky clean life you could imagine. That's the mystery, no one knows what the hell happened.
"He just stopped in his tracks there [at the party].
"We thought he was taking the mickey at first."
He said slight illnesses were an occupational hazard for plumbers.
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