G
General Veers
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Singapore
Mar 2, 2010
Glue sniffer's death: Misadventure
<!-- by line --> By Elena Chong
<!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --> <!-- story content : start --> AN ODD-JOB labourer who had been sniffing glue since he was a teenager died two days after his arrest in hospital. Mr Sia Lian Heng's death from multi-organ failure syndrome due to heart failure was contributed by inhalant toluene abuse. The 34-year-old was arrested at his flat in Tampines Street 82 on Feb 26, 2008 after his elder brother called the police. Police came and found him sitting cross-legged in his bedroom, looking 'high'. The room smelt of glue. The brother handed over a packet of yellowish substance believed to be glue to the police. He put up a violent struggle before police could subdue him. He was taken to Changi General Hospital for a blood test.
There he complained of chest pains, and also at the Bedok police division lock-up. He was escorted to hospital where he vomited blood at the holding room. While he was in hospital, he forcefully pulled out his drip plug and kept hitting his left hand on the bed railing. Hours later, he became violent and shouted vulgarities at the officer s and threatened to beat them up if he saw them in public. His condition deteriorated and he died at about 1.30am on Feb 26. The court heard that the toluene as well as the struggle during arrest might have aggravated his ischaemic heart disease. State Coroner Victor Yeo recorded a verdict of misadventure on his death.
Mar 2, 2010
Glue sniffer's death: Misadventure
<!-- by line --> By Elena Chong
<!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --> <!-- story content : start --> AN ODD-JOB labourer who had been sniffing glue since he was a teenager died two days after his arrest in hospital. Mr Sia Lian Heng's death from multi-organ failure syndrome due to heart failure was contributed by inhalant toluene abuse. The 34-year-old was arrested at his flat in Tampines Street 82 on Feb 26, 2008 after his elder brother called the police. Police came and found him sitting cross-legged in his bedroom, looking 'high'. The room smelt of glue. The brother handed over a packet of yellowish substance believed to be glue to the police. He put up a violent struggle before police could subdue him. He was taken to Changi General Hospital for a blood test.
There he complained of chest pains, and also at the Bedok police division lock-up. He was escorted to hospital where he vomited blood at the holding room. While he was in hospital, he forcefully pulled out his drip plug and kept hitting his left hand on the bed railing. Hours later, he became violent and shouted vulgarities at the officer s and threatened to beat them up if he saw them in public. His condition deteriorated and he died at about 1.30am on Feb 26. The court heard that the toluene as well as the struggle during arrest might have aggravated his ischaemic heart disease. State Coroner Victor Yeo recorded a verdict of misadventure on his death.
