Toddler hit by mother's car died in a 'tragic accident' in Wakefield

Nicola Fenton was slowly driving the Audi Q7 out of the double garage at the bottom of the driveway outside the family's home in Wakefield when she struck her two-year-old son Brogan at around 2.10pm on January 4, an inquest at Wakefield heard.

Mrs Fenton ran to get help from Brogan's grandfather Robert Fenton, who was in a workshop near the garage.

Robert Fenton used a jack to lift the vehicle and attempts were made to revive Brogan as paramedics made their way to the house on Lingwell Nook Lane in Lofthouse.

The inquest heard Brogan was pronounced dead at the scene at 2.47pm.

A post mortem revealed he died from a head injury.

The inquest heard Mrs Fenton had been intending to travel with Brogan to collect her older son, aged five, from school and went to the garage where the Audi Q7 had been reversed in and was parked to the right of another car.

The inquest heard the Audi was parked close to the side wall of the garage and Mrs Fenton was moving it as she was unable to open the passenger door to place Brogan in his child seat.

Det Cons Deborah Farley, of West Yorkshire Police's collision investigation team, said in a statement that Nicola Fenton told Brogan to stand at the front near side of the car as she pulled the Audi out to allow room to open the door - something she had done on "many occasions."

Reading from Det Cons Farley's statement, senior coroner David Hinchliff, said: "She (Nicola Fenton) said she pulled on to the drive and felt the car run over something and immediately suspected what had happened.

"It would appear Nicola had not kept sight of Brogan at all times, which may be because he was not visible and that was due to the height of the vehicle."

Robert Eyre, a collision investigator with West Yorkshire Police, said in a statement that due to the size of the Audi Q7, it would have had "blind spots" for the driver.

Mr Hinchliff said to Mr Eyre: "You say during the manoeuvre the vehicle has come into contact with Brogan and that would have been the near side front of the vehicle."

Mr Hinchliff added: "You say you considered the cause of the collision was the driver not observing the presence of Brogan while operating the vehicle in a confined space.

"You said it should also be considered that a child would not have been aware of the dangers presented by a moving vehicle."

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Hinchliff, said: "This must be the dread of every parent when you do routine things like moving a car and some might say it wasn't a wise thing to do but often when you are busy you don't always do things wisely.

"Usually it doesn't end up in an appalling tragedy like this. On this particular occasion it did. This was a tragic accident."