An 11-year-old girl from Devon died after a concealed branch penetrated her heart while she played with friends on mudflats in Cornwall, an inquest has heard. Lilly Angel Rodgers, from Newton Abbot, was pronounced dead at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth following the incident at Wacker Quay, Torpoint, on a summer's day.
Fatal accident during mudflat games
The inquest, held in Truro on Monday, September 21, was told Lilly had been physically fit and extremely active, enjoying surfing, climbing, camping and stand-up paddle boarding. The evening before her death, she had stayed overnight at a friend's home and remained awake until late.
Lilly, who was born in Torbay, had been playing on the mudflats with two friends, an activity they had done many times before as they were familiar with the location. The three youngsters were about 50 metres from the shoreline, where a bank descended towards a channel in the River Lynher.
Rescue and medical response
The mother of the other two children called them back to stay within her view while she and her partner prepared a barbecue. The children continued playing, making star shapes and sliding headfirst down the muddy embankment. Lilly then got to her feet, clutched her chest, gasped and collapsed face-down into the mud.
The other children's screams alerted the adults, who attempted to reach Lilly before another adult arrived and emergency services were contacted. Paramedics administered CPR after the coastguard search and rescue helicopter lifted her to dry ground, a process that took 40 minutes. She was then taken to Derriford Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Consultant pathologist James Garvican, of the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, performed a postmortem examination. He found a wound near the upper part of Lilly's ribcage that extended 7cm deep into her chest. He recorded the medical cause of death as "penetrating chest trauma" and said a branch or sharp root concealed beneath the muddy bank's surface most likely caused the fatal wound.
Coroner's conclusion
Dr Garvican said the injury was "extremely bad luck", explaining that half an inch to the right would have caused only a bruise and scratch, while half an inch to the left would not have damaged vital organs. He added that surviving such trauma would have required being directly before a surgeon with an operating theatre ready. Lilly probably lost consciousness immediately and remained unaware of rescue efforts.
Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed no suspicious circumstances or third party involvement. The Wacker Quay site is owned by the Ministry of Defence but leased to the Tamar Community Trust, and no similar incident had occurred there in 40 years. Additional warning signs have since been erected alerting visitors to hidden hazards in the mud.
Senior coroner for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Andrew Cox, recorded a conclusion of accidental death. He said playing in mud is typical childhood behaviour, adding: "It's what I did too as a child." He described the incident as "the most truly, desperately and unlikely accident", noting that Lilly had played there many times before and was being watched over by adults. He concluded: "This is by any measure a desperately unfortunate sequence of events."
