Family of Brit discovered useless in Bangkok resort share final name with ‘cheeky chap’ son

Joshua Kershaw, 21, from Grimsby jetted to Thailand on January 12 for a week’s break but stopped responding to his mum’s calls – his body was tragically found in his Bangkok hotel room

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The heartbroken family of missing Brit Joshua Kershaw have spoken of their torment after learning the “cheeky and happy” 21-year-old had been deceased for a week in Thailand.

Joshua had flown to Bangkok for a week’s holiday on January 12 when he stopped responding to calls from his mum, Jenny, 39.

The young gardener, from Grimsby, Lincolnshire, had told his family he was travelling to the southern resort of Pattaya for his break.

He had previously visited the location a month earlier during another week-long Thai holiday at the start of December.

However, his relatives have revealed that Joshua never left Bangkok, as hotel staff found his body in the room where he was staying. The family have disclosed he was discovered in his bed with a bandage wound around his arm.

Tragically, they have said he was found seven days ago on January 14, reports Yorkshire Live.

Nobody was aware because they had reported to the British Embassy that he was missing in Pattaya, where they thought he had travelled. According to the family, on Saturday (January 17), Jenny contacted police about Joshua, who then upgraded his case to high priority yesterday (January 21), successfully locating him in Bangkok.

Officials subsequently confirmed he was found dead and is currently being kept in a morgue with the family pleading to bring him home. The family say the cause of his death remains unexplained.

Joshua’s auntie Jade Kershaw, 31, has revealed they cannot bring his body home until an inquiry into his death and a post-mortem examination have been completed.

Jade, from Wakefield, said: “He was a cheeky chap and so full of joy. He was always happy and there were never any bad moment with him. He leaves behind his four little sisters, who all love him so much.

“He just loved to travel. He would go on holiday, come back and work for a couple of months, and then head back out. On the day he arrived, he called home and he was doing fine, talking to Jenny about his journey.

“He then told her he was going to get some food, and then we hadn’t heard from him since. We thought he had made it to Pattaya, but the police told us he never left Bangkok.

“It was so unlike him not to reply to messages or pick up his mums calls, he spoke to her everyday. We didn’t report him was missing at first as we thought he might have just lost his phone. But then Jenny got worried.

“We started the GoFundMe and were planning to go and look for him in Thailand next week. Police came round this morning at around 8am Jenny’s house today, and told her he has passed.

“She is absolutely devastated by the news. Hopefully, the post-mortem won’t take long as we want him back home.”

In a devastating message on social media, Jenny said: “As much as my heart is breaking right now, we have now located josh, but unfortunately he was not alive. We are now trying to get his body back to the UK.”

Joshua was due to fly back to the UK on 19 January, 2026 at 8:30pm Thai time, with his arrival at London Heathrow scheduled for 20 January at 6:25am.

His relatives have confirmed he failed to board the aircraft, with police authorities later corroborating this information.

Jade made the gruelling five-hour journey to Heathrow to check if he had caught his homebound flight, but discovered he wasn’t at the terminal.

Jade reveals the family are now working with international funeral directors to help bring his remains home.

She explains it remains unclear when Joshua will be returned to the UK.

Jade clarified that money collected through the GoFundMe appeal will now go towards meeting the expenses of bringing Joshua’s body back and covering his funeral costs.

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