Hanged toddler’s parents back safety campaign

Emily Warner was left severely brain-damaged after the accident last August, and died several months later in December.

An inquest at Hatfield Coroner’s Court heard that her father Jamie Warner found the two-year-old unconscious in her bedroom at their home in Royston, Hertfordshire, with the cord around her neck on August 25.

He had gone upstairs to talk to his son James, then four, when he found her seemingly-lifeless body. He and his wife Tracey tried to resuscitate Emily, who was taken to hospital, but she was left with severe brain damage and unable to walk, talk or feed herself.

She died on December 1 of medical reasons stemming from her brain damage, the inquest heard.

A verdict of accidental death was recorded by Hertfordshire coroner Edward Thomas, who commended the family for their efforts to save Emily and for their involvement in the campaign.

After the inquest yesterday, Mr Warner appealed for parents to be aware of the danger of blinds, supporting a Safe Blinds campaign.

Two-year-old Arthur Winfield died after a similar accident on January 5. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA) said there had been at least 18 similar deaths in the UK since 1999.

Mr Warner, 30, added: “We don’t want other families to suffer in the way we have. By taking some simple steps with your blinds you can protect your children.”