A devastated mother has shared the tragic story of discovering her son lifeless in their kitchen, following an overdose on prescription medications.
Ruth Fowler, 54, had no idea that her heartfelt goodnight to her “funny and loving” 22-year-old son, William, on July 2 of last year, would be her final goodbye.
William, one of triplets, began using cannabis and ketamine recreationally at the age of 16.
His substance use gradually intensified, and after being diagnosed with mental health issues, he started consuming highly addictive prescription drugs like Valium, oxycodone, and Xanax, which he sourced from street suppliers.
Ruth, a resident of Ightham, revealed that her son’s passing occurred due to a lack of adequate support in his battle against addiction, despite his four attempts at recovery.
Determined to make a difference, the grieving mother now shares her story to highlight the challenges faced by those struggling with addiction.
Williams step-sister Suri Hagger, 16, is also crowdfunding by running a half marathon is his name to raise money for charity, Addiction Family Support Charity.
Ruth said: ‘It was heartbreaking as a mother to see him suffer as he did.
22-year-old William was found dead in her kitchen after he overdosed on prescription drugs
William is pictured with his mum Ruth. She said his death comes after he wasn’t given the support needed to stay sober after attempting to get clean on four occasions
‘I did everything I could, he was just very vulnerable.
‘After his death, I was told he was the youngest worst ‘polydrug’ misuser they had seen.
‘The heartbreaking question is, why wasn’t he given special treatment to help him when he needed it the most?’
Following an inquest at Maidstone Coroners Court in February this year, it was revealed William had four drugs present in his body at the time of his death – Xanax, morphine, cocaine, and Pregabalin.
His passing was later recorded as ‘death by polydrug misuse’.
Ruth said it wasn’t uncommon for William to have multiple drugs in his system at any one time.
Following drug tests conducted by nurses at rehabilitation charity Change, Grow, Live (CGL), doctors found up to eight different substances in his bloodstream.
At 16 he passed all of his GCSE’s and wanted to join the Army.
William, who was a triplet, had been using cannabis and ketamine recreationally since he was 16-years-old
William with his step-sister Suri Hagger. Suri is raising awareness for lives troubled by addiction. She is also crowdfunding by running a half marathon is his name to raise money for charity, Addiction Family Support Charity
But aged 17, Ruth said he had become addicted to anxiety medication Diazepam, also known as Valium.
The same year he was also diagnosed with anxiety, depression and borderline personality disorder.
He later spent a month in a rehabilitation centre in Suffolk in December 2020, privately paid for by her and his father.
Ruth then paid privately again for him to attend a rehab centre, The Priory in Woking, after he relapsed this time on opioid based painkillers like oxycodone and other depressants such as Xanax.
He left two weeks after he had been detoxed.
She said he relapsed due to ‘limited care’ NHS care available for under-18s suffering from drug addiction.
His drug use continued and in 2024 aged 21 William became homeless, living on the streets in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, after he was befriended by an addict who introduced him to heroin.
(LtoR) William, Louis, and Oliver. William had also Ruth removed her from her consent so she was no longer informed of any drugs he was taking
He later agreed to come home and try to get clean through CGL.
In September 2024 and under CGL’s program he began taking an opioid blocker pill called Buprenorphine daily to wean himself off the drug.
After six months, he became sober but unfortunately, in March 2025, CGL were unable to secure the funding needed to offer him the rehab and therapy.
William relapsed again in April and ended up in Lewisham Hospital, suffering a crack overdose and his GCL application was stopped due to the criteria.
To be accepted into a rehabilitation facility requires you to be clean of all drugs and subsequently drug tested on a weekly basis.
But in May 2024 now aged 22, William started the process again and stayed sober for 7 weeks.
But CGL again struggled to find William a place and which left him ‘distraught’.
William had also, unbeknownst to Ruth removed her from her consent so she was no longer informed of any drugs he was taking.
Tragically, two months later Ruth found him dead in their dog bed eight hours after he had collapsed.
Ruth said it also brings her ‘peace’ that he died at home.
Reflecting on his death, Ruth does not blame CGL but she slams the system as ‘broken’ and questions the bureaucracy and unrealistic criteria, which, if wasn’t there, could have saved his life.
CGL have been contacted for comment.
