The inquest into the death of 11-year-old Lilly Angel Rodgers has ruled her death an accident. Lilly died following an accident while playing in mud flats at Whacker Quay near Torpoint, Cornwall. The inquest revealed that penetrating chest trauma was the cause of death.
Senior Coroner Andrew Cox presided over the inquest on 21st September 2026 at Pydar House, Truro. The inquest examined the circumstances surrounding Lilly's death, which occurred on 16th August 2025.
According to the findings, Lilly was playing with friends and sliding on her belly down a slope into a channel in the mud when she stood up and collapsed. A post-mortem examination found a deep wound between her ribs, causing severe internal damage to her pericardial sac and pulmonary artery. The cause of the wound was not conclusively determined, but it is suspected to have been caused by a branch or tree root hidden in the mud.
Attempts to resuscitate Lilly were unsuccessful, and she died at the scene. Lilly was born on 3rd April 2014 in Torbay, Devon. The coroner concluded the cause of death as penetrating chest trauma, resulting in accidental death.
Coroner Rules 11-Year-Old’s Death in Cornwall an Accident