A British man whose death was first investigated as a possible murder was later found to have died in a rare and tragic accident: he had apparently passed out drunk on a knife inside his own bag, officials said this week.
Robert Brown, 57, was discovered on Aug. 1, 2025, slumped over on a bench in Northampton, England, with blood around him, prompting authorities to initially suspect he had been fatally stabbed, according to the Northampton Chronicle and Echo.
Robert Brown, 57, died after falling asleep and falling onto a knife in his bag while sitting on a bench, Northamptonshire Police said. (Northamptonshire Police; SWNS)
The early stages of the investigation led to three people being arrested in connection with Brown’s death, though they were later released. On Thursday, a coroner determined that his death was a “tragic accident.”
Investigators said Brown, who had struggled with alcohol dependency, appeared to have fallen into a deep sleep while seated on the bench and placed his weight onto the bag, causing the knife inside to pierce through it and into his body.
Robert Brown, 57, had alcohol dependency issues, authorities said. (Northamptonshire Police; SWNS)
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Officials said the blade went through the bag and all three layers of Brown’s clothing before cutting his arm, leaving him to bleed heavily while he remained asleep.
Experts told the court that Brown’s alcoholism likely made him especially vulnerable to the effects of blood loss.
Police on the scene behind Auctioneers Court near Northampton town center during the investigation into the death of Robert Brown, who was found fatally injured on a bench on the towpath on Aug. 1. (Northamptonshire Police; SWNS)
Northamptonshire Police dropped the murder inquiry in February, saying Brown’s death was likely self-inflicted. Investigators noted that there was no apparent motive to murder Brown.
“We have reviewed the extensive amount of information gathered as part of the investigation, including all forensic submissions, and can confirm the evidence does not support the hypothesis that his death was a homicide,” police said at the time.
