A young girl from Devon tragically lost her life in what has been described as a "most desperately unfortunate accident" when a concealed branch penetrated her heart while she was enjoying time with friends on a beautiful summer's day in Cornwall.
Lilly Angel Rodgers was playing starfish and performing a 'commando crawl' across the mudflats and descending a muddy slope when a sharp, hidden branch or root pierced through her ribcage.
An inquest examining the death of the 11 year old from Newton Abbot, held in Truro today (Monday, September 21), revealed how Lilly had been a physically fit, healthy and extremely active youngster who adored outdoor pursuits including surfing, climbing, camping and stand-up paddle boarding.
The evening prior to her fatal accident, Lilly had stayed overnight at a friend's home, remaining awake until late, as youngsters typically do, the hearing was informed.
The youngster, who was born in Torbay, had been enjoying herself in the mudflats alongside two friends – an activity they had undertaken numerous times previously as all were well-acquainted with the location at Wacker Quay, Torpoint, reports Cornwall Live.
Wacker Quay is situated within the Tamar Valley landscape and offers unrestricted public access to the River Lynher.
The three youngsters were approximately 50 metres from the shoreline where a bank descended towards a channel in the River Lynher. The inquest was told how the mother of the other two youngsters summoned them back to remain within her view while she and her partner prepared a barbecue.
The mother described how the youngsters were rolling around in the mud and "crawling commando-style". She explained that after calling them back into view, the three continued their games, making star shapes before sliding headfirst down the muddy embankment where the waterway was located.
It was then that Lilly got to her feet, clutched her chest and let out a gasp before collapsing face-down into the mud.
The grown-ups were made aware something was seriously amiss by the screams of the other youngsters, and a challenging rescue operation began.
The inquest was told how the other children's mother and her partner attempted to reach Lilly before another adult turned up and the emergency services were contacted.
The branch had severed a pulmonary artery, causing her heart to stop.
Paramedics arrived on scene but effective CPR could only be administered after the unconscious youngster was lifted to dry ground by the coastguard search and rescue helicopter. It took 40 minutes to transport Lilly from the mudflats back to shore.
The young girl was subsequently transported to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth where she was pronounced dead.
James Garvican, consultant pathologist at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, subsequently performed a postmortem examination on Lilly's body.
He informed the inquest that he was taken aback to discover a wound near the upper part of Lilly's ribcage. He stated the wound, upon detailed examination, extended 7cm deep into Lilly's chest.
Dr Garvican recorded a medical cause of death as "penetrating chest trauma". He explained to the inquest that a branch or sharp root concealed beneath the muddy bank's surface most probably caused the fatal wound.
He continued: "It's extremely bad luck. Half an inch to the right and it would just have glanced off her ribcage and left a bruise and a scratch. Half an inch to the left and it may still have gone in but it would not have damaged vital organs. This was not a survivable injury."
Dr Garvican stated that surviving such trauma would have required suffering it while positioned directly before a surgeon and anaesthetist with a hospital operating theatre prepared and ready to perform emergency surgery.
He explained that Lilly had probably lost consciousness immediately and remained unaware of any rescue efforts or CPR being administered.
Girl, 11, Dies After Hidden Branch Pierces Heart in Cornwall