British mother seeks woman seen with son before his death in Bangkok hotel
A British mother is trying to identify and contact a foreign woman who was seen with her son, Joshua Kershaw, shortly before he was found dead at a hotel in Sukhumvit area of Bangkok in January.
The family of 21 year old British man Joshua began searching for him on social media after losing contact on January 12. Joshua spoke to his mother, Jenny Kershaw, after arriving at a hotel on Soi Sukhumvit 7/1 and told her he planned to continue travelling to Pattaya.
Joshua ended the call, telling his mother he was going to eat near the hotel. His family said they were unable to contact him after that. Jenny later posted an update to an online community on March 21, saying her son had been found dead in a hotel room on January 12.
A hotel maid found Joshua’s body on the ground next to the bed in his room, with one arm wrapped in a bandage. The hotel reported the death to officers at Lumphini Police Station, who were expected to pass the information to the embassy.
It remains unclear why news of his death did not reach his family until March 21.
Joshua’s family launched a GoFundMe campaign, initially seeking financial support to travel to Thailand to look for him. The fundraiser later became a budget to repatriate his body to the UK.
The Sun reported that CCTV footage showed Joshua going to a bar opposite the hotel with a foreign woman wearing a beige dress. He ordered pizza, fried chicken and several bottles of beer before suddenly collapsing while eating and drinking.
The woman travelled with Joshua to the hospital. Joshua later returned to the entertainment venue alone after receiving treatment and arrived back at the hotel at about 5.45am carrying two bottles of beer, before he was later found dead.
Jenny recently posted on Facebook that Thai police have resumed the investigation into her son’s death, with suspicions including murder or manslaughter.
According to the Daily Record, Jenny wrote on March 25 that investigators found Joshua had a combination of seven different drug substances in his system. She said the substances were present at high levels and could have contributed to life-threatening symptoms.
Jenny also shared images of the woman in the beige dress, saying she was the last person known to have stayed with Joshua before his death, and appealed for help identifying her. “It’s really important for us to speak with her,” she wrote.
The Facebook page Crime Asia reported that local police are continuing their investigation and have not ruled out murder from the outset.
However, police questioned staff at both the bar and the hotel and said they have not found evidence indicating foul play. Bar staff reportedly told investigators that the woman only ate with Joshua before he became unwell.
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