Double tragedy as schoolboy, 12, and grandfather found dead inside tent during family camping trip in Wales

Tributes have been paid to a ‘kind and gentle’ 12-year-old boy and his grandfather who were found dead in a tent during a camping trip in the Welsh countryside.

Kaicy Rakai Zelden Brown, 12, and his 66-year-old grandfather David Brown, died in suspected accidental carbon monoxide poisoning, which may have been caused by a cooking stove, an inquest has heard.

The young boy was found unconscious next to his grandfather in a tent in Powys at around 11am on September 14 by his uncle, who had been sleeping in a nearby tent.

The family, from Earley in Berkshire, had traveled 200 miles to the campsite in mid Wales and spent a night there before the tragic incident occurred.

Emergency services were called to the scene, but the grandfather and grandchild could not be saved.

Senior coroner Graeme Hughes told Pontypridd Coroner that a toxicology test would determine the level of carbon monoxide in the 12-year-old’s blood.

He told relatives: ‘My deepest condolences to you all for the loss of both Kaicy and David in such tragic circumstances.’

The court also heard that an investigation was underway into the death of Kaicy’s grandfather, David, who lived in Wokingham, Berkshire.

The investigation has been postponed until a later date.

In the wake of the double tragedy, Kaicy’s former primary school paid tribute to the “exceptionally talented artist” who made friends easily and was “loved by both his classmates and adults for his easy-going nature and support for others.”

Two fundraising campaigns have also been set up by friends and colleagues of the family.

One has been set up to help Kaicy’s heartbroken mother, Jessica, who lost both her son and father in the ‘unimaginable’ tragedy.

The GoFundMe created by the grieving mother’s friends, read: ‘On September 15, the unimaginable happened to her son Kaicy, 12, and her father.

‘They died of carbon monoxide poisoning during a camping trip.

‘The money raised will go towards funeral costs, a memorial service and legal costs as Jess wants to bring her son home as there is disagreement within the family over where he will be buried.

‘We don’t want her to have any more headaches during this sad time.

“Any donation would be greatly appreciated to help alleviate the financial burden of this tragic accident, as well as help many families in need.”

More than £1,500 has been donated to the fundraiser, with a target of £5,000.

One second GoFundMe page in support of David’s widow, Mandy has also been set up by Sonning Church of England Primary School, where Kaicy attended until a few months ago before starting secondary school.

In a post on Facebook, the school said the community “came together to show our love” for the bereaved families.

The statement added: ‘We, as a community consisting of parents, PTA members, staff, governors, colleagues, friends, local organizations and families, come together to show our love and support for the family at this tragic time, and let’s let them know in our small way that we are there for them.’

Kaicy and his brother attended primary school, while their grandmother and guardian, Mandi, is a teaching assistant and has been a member of the staff for over twenty years.

A statement on the GoFundMe page paid tribute to the youngster, who was described as follows: ‘This is a desperately sad situation, not least because Kaicy was only 12 years old.

“We, as a school and local community of parents, friends and colleagues, are in shock and we all send our condolences and deepest love and support to Mrs Brown, Reo and their family at this time.”

The statement continued with a tribute to Kaicy, who was described as “a true ambassador for the school” and “a kind, thoughtful and emotionally aware boy who lit up a room with his smile and sense of humor.”

It added: ‘He was also an exceptionally talented artist and impressed us with his attention to detail and incredible dedication to his artwork.

‘Many of his pieces still hang proudly around the school.

“Memories of Kaicy’s fantastic lead role as Mrs Wolf, in the Year 6 production in July 2023, will always make us smile.

‘His fashion show performance in our Year 6 residence was also highly entertaining, combining his acting skills and sense of humor to put on a hilarious display for his colleagues and staff.

“Kaicy was a gentle soul, made friends easily and was loved by both his classmates and adults for his easy-going nature and support of others.

“Kaicy has always upheld our Sonning values ​​and was a true ambassador for the school.

“Kaicy was one of those students who had such a bright future ahead of him and someone we always felt would achieve great things in his life – a thought that makes this situation even more difficult as we remember someone so special. ‘