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Deal teenager Robert Fraser dies after handling fentanyl drug

The mother of a teenager, thought to have died after handling a 'one touch death drug', is speaking out to save others from her heartache.

Robert Fraser, 18, was found in his bedroom at his father’s home in St Francis Close, Deal, on November 19.

A toxicology report revealed he died from a fatal dose of fentanyl, a prescribed drug up to 100 times more potent than heroin.

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Robert Fraser
Robert Fraser

But his mum Michelle thinks the avid skateboarder might not even have taken the drug on the night he died, because reports on the web show just touching or inhaling it could cause death.

The police, who investigated ahead of an inquest on May 12, have stopped inquiries into who supplied the drug because of a lack of evidence.

Officers told his family their specialists could not bypass and access his HTC tablet phone.

Mrs Fraser described their response as “diabolical”, and is now warning others of the dangers of the Class A drug.

VIDEO: Michelle wants answers

She said: “This stuff is fatal. Most of our teenagers and adolescents are taking drugs or dabbling but they don’t know what is being given.

"It’s being given to them by friends or relatives.

"They are potentially giving them a death sentence. Don’t take anything. This horrible substance could be in the next gram of weed that you buy.

“I want families to be aware. I don’t want any other parent or sibling to be in the position we are. I don’t want them to be trying to work out why their 18-year-old is no longer here.”

Michelle Fraser with her son's ashes
Michelle Fraser with her son's ashes

Robert, a former Castle Community College pupil, died 16 days after his grandmother had passed away. He was expected to help carry her coffin.

Ms Fraser, of Sandown Road, Deal, says he went to buy cannabis to help with his grief and was also given free fentanyl.

One of his friends, 17, whose identity we are protecting, was with him, and said the white powder had been double wrapped, firstly in an airtight bag and then in a sealable bag.

The substance is so dangerous that in Canada some police officers carry an antidote in case they touch it.

The dealer did not tell Robert and his friends what it was. He told them it was like ‘Mandy’ otherwise known as MDMA, a drug they had taken before.

The three friends tried the drug with two of them being violently sick.

One said they believed Robert was going to dispose of the rest.

When his father found Robert unconscious, he was lying beside prepared lines of the drug.

Robert Fraser loved skateboarding
Robert Fraser loved skateboarding

Ms Fraser said: “He’d taken it on the Tuesday and, by handling it on the Friday, it had killed him.

“It seems to be popping up everywhere and can be in all sorts of stuff. It’s often found in other drugs.

"They believe it’s what killed Prince.”

It was also in the home of Michael Jackson at the time of his death.

The drug is believed to have been bought from the Dark Web, an untraceable part of the internet, and the mother of three thinks the internet is making drugs too accessible.

She added: “It’s kids giving it to kids.

“The kid just gave it to Robert like a buy one, get one free, offer. It’s like ‘here’s your weed, here’s your death!’

“I just can’t believe he’s gone. He’s missing out on so much like his little brother growing up.

Robert's brother Tyler on the memorial bench
Robert's brother Tyler on the memorial bench

“When you have kids, you expect to see them grow up and you look forward to them having their own families.

"He should be getting an apprenticeship and a girlfriend. He’s been robbed of a future.”

Ms Fraser described her son as a 6ft 5in tall “by 2in wide” a gentle giant who loved skateboarding and his family.

Robert had taken up skateboarding aged 13 when, after much persuasion, his mum bought his mini board.

He soon became a popular face at Deal Skatepark. He would teach others tricks and was desperate for a sponsorship deal.

After his death £1,160 was raised for a memorial bench which was installed towards the north end of Deal promenade on Friday.

He had studied motor mechanics at Canterbury College. He was a brother to Amy, 24, and Tyler, four.

Ms Fraser said: “He has a fantastic relationship with his siblings. He was very family orientated. To Robert, everybody else came first.

"I just can’t believe he’s gone...He's missing out on so much like his little brother growing up" - Michelle Fraser

“If he wasn’t laughing, he’d be making somebody else laugh.

“After his death I had hundreds of messages from his friends.

"One said that she was being bullied and Robert used to wait for her outside of school to walk her home. I didn’t know that.”

Robert was once the lead singer in a band called Independence. In 2015, they performed outside the King’s Head.

His friend said: “Robert was always happy and, no matter what the time, he’d come out and meet you. He wouldn’t care if he’d have to walk half an hour, he’d meet you.”

He said his friend’s death had ruined his life.

Ms Fraser has joined a Facebook group called Fentanyl Victims We Remember.

She continues to research the drug which, she says, has killed hundreds of people in Canada and America.

Ms Fraser said she feels something towards the drug dealer who gave it to Robert but she’s not sure what.

Police wrote to Ms Fraser and said they finished their investigation on March 23.

She said: “I think it’s diabolical in this day and age that they can’t get into this phone.

“I’ve only heard from police when I have contacted them.”

A statement from the police said they conducted thorough inquiries and a report had been compiled for the coroner.

It added: “Police officers will pursue all reasonable lines of inquiry to gain evidence.

“This includes mobile phone data where there are legal grounds to do so.

“However, in some circumstances, officers are unable to gain access to all or some of the data.”

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