Brighton: Mother pays tribute to son found dead in Thailand

Darnel Kimbia, 24, went out to visit the country earlier this year but was found dead in Bangkok on September 7.

His mother, Charmaine Baptiste, said the family have been left “devastated” by his death.

Charmaine, who lives in Brighton, said: “Darnel was a loving, caring, intelligent person and he had his whole life ahead of him.

“He would help anyone that he could, he wouldn’t even think about it. He was that kind of person - so loving and he would always go out of his way to help others.”

Charmaine recalled her happiest day with Darnel when he graduated from the University of Essex with a degree in business, management and marketing.

She said: “I had never actually been to a graduation before and we were all so proud. The night before, we were drinking prosecco together and watching Love Island.”

Darnel Kimbia (Image: Supplied)

She said Darnel, who went to Longhill school in Rottingdean and then Bhasvic in Hove, was a keen traveller who wanted to see the world.

A GoFundMe campaign to raise money to bring Darnel’s body home to Brighton has raised more than £10,000.

A number of people have left loving tributes to Darnel, with one describing his death as “heartbreaking”.

Charmaine said: “The donations show how much of a loving person my son was. He was loved by so many, including his school friends and his colleagues.

“One of his good friends, Luca Bish from Love Island, has also sent his condolences.

“I have never seen a GoFundMe raise such a large amount of money in such a short period of time.”

The family are now working to get Darnel’s body flown back to the UK.

Although the family have been told that Darnel’s death was a suicide, Charmaine suspects that “something bad” happened to her son and is looking to get answers to find out what happened to him.

“He was not suicidal, he had his whole life to live,” Charmaine said.

Donations to the family’s crowdfunder can be made at gofundme.com/f/darnel-kimbia.