An 18-year-old has been charged after a young man who was the victim of an alleged coward punch on the Gold Coast died in hospital.
Cameron Duce, 22, was left with a serious head injury after allegedly being assaulted on September 22.
Police were called to the intersection of First Avenue and The Esplanade in Burleigh Heads about 2.30am following reports of a disturbance.
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They found Duce with a “severe head injury” and he was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital.
Queensland Police today charged an 18-year-old Robina man with unlawful striking causing death.
He will appear at Southport Magistrates Court tomorrow.
Duce died in hospital a week after the alleged assault, his heartbroken father confirmed on social media.
“Despite all the care and all the best medical interventions Cameron’s head injuries were too severe for him to overcome,” Duce’s father Chris said.
“We were informed yesterday that Cameron had no chance of any recovery and the family has decided to let our beautiful boy Cameron pass peacefully in his own time.”
Chris said the family was able to say goodbye to their son before his death.
“Our hearts are broken. Our lives will never be the same,” he added.
“The world has lost one of the genuinely good people who brought joy, laughter and love to all of those he met.”
He added: “Nothing will ever replace the massive hole left in our lives with the passing of our beautiful son, brother, grandson, uncle, nephew, and one of the best people anyone could have ever called a mate.”
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Police are calling on anyone who may have witnessed the alleged assault or captured dashcam or CCTV footage from the area to come forward.
“My understanding is he’d been out for the night, was (allegedly) assaulted while he was walking out of the precinct, has fallen, struck his head and that’s caused the fatal injuries at the end of the day,” Acting Superintendent Scott Knowles from Queensland Police said today.
He said Duce was believed to have been walking alone in the direction of home when he was allegedly struck.
“Our condolences go out to his family and our investigators will be working hard to actually bring the person to justice who has done this,” he said.
The charge follows a spate of late-night violent crime in the Burleigh Heads area.
Recent police data released in late August found most offending takes place late on Saturday nights.
“People just need to be aware in these entertainment precincts with alcohol-affected people,” Knowles told 9News.
Locals are pushing for a greater police prescence to combat the violence.
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