Climbing rope death of boy, 9, a tragic accident

Nine-year-old Josef Kazzan was found with his chin wedged in a loop of a webbed climbing rope attached to a large willow tree which was a popular play area with local children.

Josef, known as Joe, was discovered “pale and lifeless” by his mother, Rachel Cullen, 43.

He was taken down by mother and her partner, Ahmed Kazzan, 61. Two days later they took the decision to turn off his life support machine after being told there was no hope.

Joe died from brain injuries due to asphyxia and never regained consciousness.

He clung to life for two days despite suffering multiple heart attacks which required him to be resuscitated and given adrenalin at Leeds General Infirmary.

The story of the sunny Sunday afternoon in July which turned to tragedy was told to West Yorkshire Coroner Peter Straker, who recorded a verdict of accidental death.

He said: “He was playing in the garden when he got caught up in a climbing rope which caused the injuries from which he died.

“This is a case which is unspeakably sad.”

The couple were too devastated to attend yesterday’s hearing at Bradford Coroner’s Court.

But his mother said in statement: “Joe was very much an outdoor boy – full of life and always on the go and playing.”

The garden of the family home in Woodlands Drive, Cleckheaton, near Bradford, was walled on each side and surrounded by conifers with a willow tree hung with several ropes, including the green webbed climbing one, made of seatbelt-type material.

She added: “We always encouraged our children to play in the garden because it is big and there’s space.

“All the local children would come in and if it got too many we would have to ask some of them to leave.”

But Joe was alone when tragedy struck on the afternoon of July 15 this year.

After the family came home from church, the boy ate a sandwich made by his father and came back for another.

Mr Kazzan, a mortgage case manager, left the second sandwich on the garden table and went back inside.

He became concerned when he glanced at the clock to find it was 1.45pm.

The sandwich was still untouched and the garden seemed to be empty. He asked the boy’s mother: “Where is Joe? I don’t hear any noise.”

He looked all over the house for Joe then the couple went outside to check the garden.

Joe’s mother said: “I went 
down to the garden to look for him.

“I just caught sight of Joe hanging in the tree and screamed. I could see Joe’s chin was just on the rope. He was just dangling there. We could not understand why he hadn’t fallen.”

The boy’s chin was wedged in a loop at the end of the webbing. Mr Kazzan took his weight and lowered him to the ground.

Mr Kazzan said Joe was hanging from the green webbed rope by his chin.

The rope was not fully around his neck, he added.

The boy was “pale and lifeless”. He took his weight, lowered him to the ground and gave him the kiss of life.

The family had been to church that morning and Joe was desperate to play outside when they came back because it was the first time the weather had been good for a while.

His mother was looking after Joe’s brother Sam, five, when tragedy struck.

Her daughter, Nadiah, 15, also came out to help.

Joe liked playing the piano and swimming, and was passionate about football, playing for the
local team and winning an 
award.

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