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Authorities investigate death of British man who collapsed after opening ‘Pandora’s box’

“We don’t really know what caused his heart to stop," said coroner Robert Chapman. "There is a possibility that he had a fatal cardiac arrhythmia -- a change in his heartbeat.”

By Evan Bleier
An engraving based on a painting by F. S. Church depicts Pandora trying to close her mythical box after opening it. (PD/F.S. Church)
An engraving based on a painting by F. S. Church depicts Pandora trying to close her mythical box after opening it. (PD/F.S. Church)

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(UPI) -- British authorities have yet to solve the mystery surrounding the death of a 37-year-old man who collapsed after opening a box that had “Pandora’s box” written on it in red letters.

The parents of Jason Airey found him unconscious in one of the bedrooms at their Carlisle home back in May of this year. He never regained consciousness and died two days later in the Cumberland Infirmary.

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Although the box found beside him contained synthetic cannabis, it was unused and no drugs were found in his system. A coroner’s report concluded that Airey’s heart had stopped beating which caused his organs to fail.

“His heart stopping caused the death of his brain which caused multiple organ failure,” said coroner Robert Chapman. “We don’t really know what caused his heart to stop. There is a possibility that he had a fatal cardiac arrhythmia -- a change in his heartbeat.”

His father, Dennis Airey, said that his son seemed happy prior to his death. “He was just his normal self,” he said. “I think he had enjoyed himself in town. He had been shopping and said he was going upstairs to get changed.”

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Dennis said that his wife, Anne, got concerned when Jason was upstairs for an extended period of time.

“She went upstairs and came back down saying something was wrong. She couldn’t wake him,” Dennis said. “I got hold of him and his shirt was clammy. His face was blue. I could feel a faint pulse on his neck.”

He saw the package of synthetic cannabis, but noted that it wasn’t open. “It was a packet but had not been used. It was on the bed right beside him,” Dennis said. “He hadn’t taken any drugs after having a bad experience with ecstasy 13 years ago.”

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