What Christine Boursinos is going through these days is any parent’s worst nightmare coming true.

Her son Spiro – founder of popular music festival Earthcore – passed away while in police custody at a Melbourne bar last Saturday, leaving his family devastated and demanding for answers over the conditions of the incident currently under investigation.

“What I feel is beyond words. I’m disappointed and sad […]

“Last time I saw him everything was fine, he left the house Friday afternoon and next thing I knew on Saturday morning the police was knocking on my door… He went there [to the bar] around 7pm on Friday and since that time up until his death I don’t know what happened, I have no clue,” Ms Boursinos told Neos Kosmos.

The man who is credited for initiating one of the biggest alternative community followings within Australia’s electronic dance scene breathed his last breath at Elsternwick’s Antique Bar, where his mother said he was spending a night of celebration with a friend, after securing a new site for his festival.

According to a police statement, officers arrived at the premises around 2.15 am, following calls about an abusive patron.

Spiro Boursinos, already being held down by other patrons, was handcuffed by authorities and lost consciousness before the ambulance arrived at the scene.

“Police attempted to revive the man until Ambulance Victoria arrived and took over.

“Despite the efforts of emergency service personnel, the man died at the scene,” Victoria Police spokeswoman, Leading Senior Constable Melissa Seach said.

Still numb from the news, the 45-year-old’s family is in desperate search for answers.

“It’s unfair, he shouldn’t have died that way. We are still waiting for the post-mortem examination results, so we don’t know what happened exactly,” Ms Boursinos said on Tuesday.

“[…] but he was surrounded by people and being left to die in their hands, the fact that the ambulance was not there earlier makes me even more frustrated…

“It hurts so much, it’s not as if there was a car accident where you say something was wrong with the car and he died. He was there surrounded by people,” the mourning mother says, adding that an earlier call to emergency services could have prevented the tragic outcome.

With a police probe over the incident underway, authorities have already obtained Antique Bar’s CCTV footage from the night and urge any witness with video evidence to come forward, while the investigation is conducted by the homicide squad, overseen by the Professional Standards Command.

Boursinos’ relatives are also exploring options for a separate private investigation, hoping for answers that will give the family much-needed closure.

While not excluding the possibility of taking legal action, Ms Boursinos explains that they would first need to see the CCTV footage before drawing any conclusions.

“I want to learn about every little detail, I want to know exactly what happened from the time he entered the bar to the moment of his death.”

Meanwhile, reports following the incident suggest that Spiro’s past heart issues might have played a role in his death.

Earthcore, founded by Mr Boursinos in 1993, has grown to be one of the biggest music festivals in Australia attracting thousands of visitors every year. Photo: Facebook (Earthcore)

“It was many years ago that he experienced some heart issues, but this was minor. He wasn’t even prescribed any medication, it was nothing serious,” explains Ms Boursinos.

Her words pay tribute to her son’s generosity and hard-working spirit.

“He was just full of life and focused on his business […]

“He had philotimo and was truly generous and willing to help, never cared about making money. He’d been doing this job for 25 years now, started the business on his own. He was staying with me at the house, so I know of all the things he went through because of his work; it was difficult and quite a competitive industry, but he loved it too much and didn’t want to stop […]”

Having entertained thousands since 1993 through his creation of Earthcore festival, Spiro is considered a pioneer in the alternative dance music scene as we know it today in Australia and the so called “bush doof” culture.

His death has saddened former colleagues, friends and members of the electronic dance music community who posted on social media acknowledging his contribution.

“Sad to hear of the passing of colourful industry identity Spiro Boursine,” Frank Cotela, event promoter and director of Totem-Onelove Group wrote on Twitter. While a Facebook post by managing director of Dark Riddims, Jimmy Barber reads:

“Today the Australian electronic music scene lost a polarising icon. Love him or hate him, he was still an icon and RIP Spiro.”