Inquest into the Death of Lewis, Leslie Graham

57y · Male·Unable to be determined; circumstances suggest drowning in Mekong River or related complications of severe alcohol intoxication and withdrawal

Leslie Graham Lewis, a 57-year-old Australian registered nurse, died in Thailand on 24 February 2011 in circumstances that remain unclear. He had been admitted to hospital in Nong Khai with severe alcohol intoxication and exhibited symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Despite hospital staff warning him against further alcohol consumption, he was discharged after two days. That evening he became aggressive, his girlfriend left, and he was found intoxicated in the guesthouse garden. He subsequently left the premises and was last seen walking towards the Mekong River in an intoxicated, dishevelled state. The clinical lesson centres on recognising severe alcohol withdrawal as a medical emergency requiring intensive monitoring and appropriate pharmacological management, and the importance of ensuring safe discharge planning for patients with acute alcohol intoxication and withdrawal who may lack insight into their condition.