Teenager, 18, texted mum to say he had the 'best weekend of his life' before drunkenly falling onto live railway track and being fatally electrocuted

Published: 11:46, 3 August 2026 | Updated: 11:59, 3 August 2026 A teenager who drunkenly fell onto a live railway track text his mother to say he had enjoyed the 'best weekend of his life' just hours before he was fatally electrocuted. Charlie Hearne-Kingsford, 18, was intoxicated when he got off a train at Strood, Kent, before stumbling onto the tracks on March 8.  The youngster was on his way home from a weekend of partying with his friends in Tottenham, north London before the tragic accident.  But as he disembarked the train, witnesses saw a man 'unsteady on his feet' on the platform, with CCTV showing Mr Hearne-Kingsford walking towards the exit before falling onto the line. Emergency services were called at 4.10pm but the teenager was declared dead nearly 40 minutes later. Just hours before the incident, he had messaged his mother, Abbi Townsend, to say he had 'the best weekend of his life', an inquest in Maidstone heard on Wednesday. Mr Hearne-Kingsford, who lived in Walderslade, was born ten days early and diagnosed with hypophosphatemic rickets – a rare genetic disorder which caused slow growth. As a result, the teenager was always a small child. But his condition did not hold him back, his mother insisted, and he was 'determined not to let it define him'. Charlie Hearne-Kingsford (pictured) told his mother he'd had the 'best weekend of his life' just hours before he was fatally electrocuted Following Charlie Hearne-Kingsford's death earlier this year, tributes were left close to the railway line She told the inquest her son was 'funny and popular', had lots of friends and loved being the big brother to his younger siblings. The teenager, who had started working as a tarmacker, enjoyed football and boxing and was always 'determined to prove himself'. Ms Townsend added: 'He was close to his family and played a big part in everyone's lives.' The mother, who attended the inquest alongside her partner and Mr Hearne-Kingsford's grandmother and aunt, said turning 18 was life-changing for her son as he could go out on weekends with his friends. She described him as a 'real character' who took pride in his appearance. 'He touched the lives of so many people,' a statement from Ms Townsend said. 'He was charming and had a good way about him. 'I struggle to put into words the reality of never being able to see him again. My goal in life is to continue his legacy and make him proud.' A toxicology report stated the teenager had a substantial amount of alcohol in his system at the time of his death. A tribute to Mr Hearne-Kingsford is pictured. A toxicology report stated the teenager had a substantial amount of alcohol in his system at the time of his death A vest with a picture of the teenager on it and the words 'our Charlie boy, fly high son' was clipped to fencing near the entrance of the station Coroner Patricia Harding said: 'Charlie was out with his friends. He was very intoxicated at the time he got off the train. He was walking down the platform and fell onto a live wire.' She recorded the young man's death as an accident before passing her condolences on to the family. Following his death earlier this year, tributes were left close to the railway line. A vest with a picture of the teenager on it and the words 'our Charlie boy, fly high son' was clipped to fencing near the entrance of the station. Notes were left, along with more than two dozen bunches of flowers. One said: 'Taken too soon but not forgotten. Fly high angel, forever in our hearts.' Another read: 'Sadly missed and always remembered. Fly high, Charlie.' Balloons were also left. One had a note which said: 'Big Char, I love you so much, bruv.'