A toddler has died in tragedy-hit Bridgend after allegedly swallowing a heroin substitute mistaken for a fruit juice drink.
Little Dylan Hughes, two, collapsed at home and was rushed to hospital when his frantic parents alerted emergency services.
But police yesterday said doctors could not save Dylan who died later in hospital.
Teddies & tributes have been left outside the house in Nantymoel, South Wales where 2-year-old Dylan Hughes been found dead
Neighbours said it was believed he had swallowed a drink of drug substitute methadone which is mixed with fruit drinks for adults coming off heroin.
Police are investigating Dylan’s death in the village of Nantymoel in the borough of Bridgend, South Wales.
It is the latest tragedy to hit Bridgend where 20 young people have been found hanged since the start of last year - with three of them in same Nantymoel area.
An ambulance was called to the white-washed terraced house just before midnight on Wednesday when he was taken to Bridgend’s Princess of Wales Hospital.
He was later transferred to Cardiff’s University Hospital where he died a few hours later. A post mortem examination was carried out yesterday to confirm the cause the Dylan’s death.
He lived at the house with his young parents Paul and Crystal who were ‘too distraught’ to talk about the tragedy. His mother left the house in tears clutching Dylan’s T-shirt.
Shocked neighbours placed teddy bears on the front window sill of the house and on the doorstep in tribute to the little boy.
Neighbour Matthew Grant said: ‘We saw the ambulance come on Wednesday night. The mum was carrying the baby in her arms and I could see he was unconscious.
‘It’s all quite sad. I didn’t know the family, but I’d seen him running down the road before.’
Cuddly toys have been left on the doorstep bearing poignant messages.
His local playgroup left a note on the front doorstep reading: ‘To a special little boy Dylan, full of fun and life. You will always be in our thoughts.
‘Now a little angel, Love all your little friends at play group.’
Another playgroup mum said: ‘We went to the same nursery as Dylan. He was little tyke -always happy and smiling and giving us the thumbs up. He was always smiling and we will miss him.’
Another neighbour said: ‘The whole valley is sad today at a young life taken away . It doesn’t bear thinking about.
‘Everyone is shocked at what has happened. We often saw the mother taking the boy to nursery and he was playing out happily in the street the other day.
‘We’ve had our fair share of tragedies but this seems so unfair. It just seems to be one thing after another.
‘It seems that it was a complete accident with the little lad picking up what he thought was a glass of fruit juice and drinking it.’
A post mortem was being held while Cardiff coroner Mary Hassell has been informed of the death.
A South Wales police spokesperson said: ‘An investigation is ongoing and inquiries are continuing. No-one has been arrested.’
Two police community support officers were standing outside the terraced house on Ogwy Street today.
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