A mother and daughter who tragically lost their lives were holding hands when they were struck by a vehicle on a pedestrian crossing, an inquest has been told.
Fatal Collision on Victoria Road
Destiny Harrison, 24, and her five-year-old daughter Linnea Harrison were fatally injured as they crossed Victoria Road in Plymouth in 2024. Devon Coroner's Court in Exeter was informed that Ms Harrison and her young daughter were hit by a Nissan Qashqai driven by 76-year-old pensioner Brenda Marriott.
Emergency crews were dispatched at approximately 9.45am on March 24 following reports of a collision involving the Motability vehicle and two pedestrians. Young Linnea was declared dead at the scene while her mother succumbed to her injuries later at Derriford Hospital, the inquest was told.
Post-Mortem Findings
Dr Russell Delaney, a pathologist who conducted post-mortem examinations, confirmed that Ms Harrison sustained multiple injuries while her daughter died as a result of a head injury. In a written statement, Mrs Marriott, who was absent from the hearing, explained she had been travelling along Victoria Road behind a white vehicle as she neared the crossing.
"The white car went through it, it was still green and I was following. I was driving at 30mph," she said. "I saw two shadows of pedestrians. The car in front was higher than mine, so I did not have a clear view. When I drove closer, I saw the woman and a smaller person, with their heads down, step out into the road. They were holding hands. They stepped out in front of my car."
Driver's Account and Eyewitnesses
Mrs Marriott stated she applied her brakes immediately and brought the vehicle to a halt. "I do believe the lights were green when I drove through and think that the pedestrian misjudged the lights. I am so sorry, I am in shock," she added.
Eyewitness Philip Askew had been walking his dog when he spotted a woman and child making their way towards the pedestrian crossing, though he briefly looked away moments before the collision occurred. "I heard an almighty bang and then scream. I turned round immediately to see what it was," he said. Mr Askew confirmed that bystanders rushed immediately to assist Ms Harrison and her daughter with first aid. He added: "I did not see a pedestrian step out into the road. I did not see the colour of the pedestrian control traffic lights at the time and collision itself. I did not see the collision itself take place."
Karen Bull, a local resident, said she heard a sound resembling a car being over-revved. "I didn't see the car, I just heard it," she said. "The pedestrians were crossing the road. My attention was drawn to the pedestrians, so I didn't look to see the colour of the lights on the crossing. They appeared to be walking calmly and at normal pace. I heard a horrible noise. I can't get the noise out of my head."
Forensic Investigation
Pc Mel Inness, a forensic collision investigator, confirmed there were no mechanical faults with the vehicle and that no evidence had been recovered from the scene to help determine the driver's speed or reaction time. She said: "There was nothing within the physical evidence to indicate emergency braking immediately prior to or post-impact but this does not preclude it from having occurred. It is not known what colour the traffic lights were at the point the Nissan approached the collision scene or at what point the pedestrians stepped in the road. There is nothing from within the physical evidence from which I can calculate speed at impact, or on the approach to."
Police Decision Not to Charge
Mrs Marriott was detained at the scene but faced no further action from police. Detective Sergeant Troy Bennett, the lead investigator on the case, revealed that collision specialists had put Mrs Marriott's speed at between 27mph and 32mph at the moment of impact. "A full evidential review was conducted based on the evidence we gathered," he said. "Based on that evidence there was no physical evidence to suggest that Mrs Marriott's driving was below the standard of a careful and competent driver."
Mr Bennett confirmed the decision had subsequently been scrutinised by both senior officers and the Crown Prosecution Service. Philip Spinney, the senior coroner for Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, recorded that both victims died as a result of a road traffic collision. "Destiny Harrison died due to injuries sustained after being hit by a car whilst crossing Victoria Road," he said. "Linnea Harrison died due to injuries sustained after being hit by a car whilst crossing Victoria Road. For the family the feelings of loss and grief are hard to imagine. I add to those that have already gone before in offering my sincerest condolences for the loss of Destiny and Linnea."
