Girl, 4, knocked down and killed by her own mum driving a pick-up truck in tragic accident
Ava Henderson was playing with her brother when she was killed as the family prepared for a weekend away
THE death of a four-year-old girl struck by a pick-up truck being driven by her mum was a "tragic accident", a coroner has ruled.
Mum Laura Henderson was on the phone and trying to link the truck to the family's caravan when she struck daughter Ava Henderson, causing an “unsurviveable” head injury.
Little Ava was playing with brother Lewis, 8, at a private compound in South Shields at around 7pm on May 27 last year, as the family were getting ready for a weekend away.
CCTV footage showed Laura had a phone wedged between her ear and shoulder as she was moving the vehicle.
But giving evidence at an inquest, collision investigator PC Gary Luther said Ava was bending down to try and restrain the family bulldog - and there was "no chance whatsoever" Laura could have seen her.
The inquest heard passers-by desperately tried to revive Ava after hearing “hysterical screaming” and seeing Laura slumped on the floor cradling her and crying: "My baby, my baby, she’s gone, she’s gone."
Detective Sergeant Falconer said: “Ms Stevenson felt a faint pulse. She hears the little girl gasp, and her eyes opened at one point."
MOST READ IN NEWS
But Ava could not be saved and was pronounced dead at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary.
No one is facing criminal action over the incident.
Dozens of mourners lined the streets of Jarrow carrying pink balloons at Ava’s Frozen-themed funeral procession on June 10 last year.
In a death notice, the family described Ava as: “Adored daughter of Lee and Laura, cherished sister of Lewis and Olivia Mae, loving granddaughter cousin and niece.”
Staff at Monkton Nursery, where Ava attended, described her as “as bright as a button and a little ray of sunshine”.
Det Sgt Falconer told the inquest Laura had been "stressed by the whole idea of linking the caravan up" and was trying to call her dad Anthony Henderson when she hit Ava.
Anthony described the day as “chaos” and said Ava's dad Lee Manson was initially meant to take the caravan, but there was a last minute change of plan.
Coroner Karen Dilks recorded a conclusion of accidental death at Newcastle Coroner's Court on Tuesday.
She said: “Due to the nature of the vehicle and [Laura's] own stature it meant her view was restricted.
“Tragically that meant she was not aware when the moved the vehicle for the last time that her daughter was in her path and she collided with her, causing fatal injuries.
“The events in the yard that day were, in every sense one could ever imagine, a tragic accident."
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368