Inquest opens into death of Jack, 22, whose body was found in Derwent
AN Inquest has opened into the death of a Derby man who was found in the River Derwent.
The body of Jack Dodder, who was from Chaddesden, was found by a member of the public near Darley Park last month.
The discovery was made on Thursday, July 22, days after the 22-year-old was reported missing by his family.
Following his death, dozens of floral and written tributes were put up on Handyside Bridge, near to where he was found.
An inquest into his death had been postponed, but was formally opened at Derby Coroners’ Court yesterday morning.
Inquests are held when there is reasonable cause to suspect a person’s death is due to anything other than natural causes, with a coroner investigating the circumstances behind their passing.
During the hearing it was revealed that police and fire service were searching for Mr Dodder when his car was found in the car park at Derby Rowing Club in the early hours of Tuesday, July 20. The vehicle was confirmed as belonging to him and he could not be found near to it.
Following his disappearance there were urgent appeals from the police and on social media to try to find him.
Two days later, his body was found by a member of the public in a stretch of the river alongside a footpath which was accessible from Duke Street
A post-mortem has given Mr Dodder’s provisional cause of death as drowning.
Sophie Lomas, assistant coroner for Derby and Derbyshire, adjourned the full hearing to a later date to allow for the police investigation and report to be completed.
Mr Dodder’s death prompted an outpouring of emotion, with people who knew him paying tribute to a “beautiful young man”.
Family and friends have left flowers, written tributes, candles and balloons close to where his body was found. One message read that Mr Dodder was “loved by (the) whole of Chad(desden)”.
Last week, a firework party was held at Handyside Bridge and on Parkers Piece, in Chester Green, to mark what would have been Mr Dodder’s birthday.