Family welcomes findings

A coroner’s recommendation for a review of roofing materials used in schools following the death of an 8-year-old boy has been welcomed by the child’s family.

Justin Reid died after falling through a roof at Cloverlea School in Palmerston North in November, 2017.

Coroner Peter Ryan released his findings and said that Justin died after he fell through a section of polycarbonate roofing, a clear plastic material, which was over a walkway between two classrooms at the primary school.

He recommended the Ministry of Education consider the appropriateness of using roofing material on any structure on school grounds which may shatter or break if walked on.

Ryan said if such roofing was to be used, then measures should be implemented to mitigate the risk of young people falling through the roof.

Justin’s mum, Angela Reid, said she thought the recommendation was amazing. ‘‘It’s a bit late for us but if it can save someone else then I’m all for it.’’

She had a friend who worked as a roofer and said they had already been working in schools putting in sturdier clear light.

On November 4, 2017, Justin asked his mum for permission to go to the school to play and went down with his brother Lucas, 11.

Video footage showed a young boy on a classroom roof, with two older boys standing on a structure halfway up the exterior wall.

Ryan said it was likely Justin climbed up on the structure and then was either boosted or pulled himself up on to the roof.

Police investigations established he had walked over the walkway between classrooms and fallen through the sheet of roofing to the concrete, 4 metres below.

Justin hit his head on impact and was knocked unconscious.

His brother immediately ran home to tell his older sister and an ambulance was called. At Palmerston North Hospital a scan showed severe traumatic brain injury.

On November 6 the decision was made to discontinue treatment and Justin died.

Ryan said at Justin’s age he would have appreciated the danger of being on the roof, however it was likely that wouldn’t extend to the possibility of falling through roofing material.

Ryan said given the accessibility of the roof and the other children on the structure on the side of the building it appeared others had climbed on the roof before.

‘‘If this is the case, then it is very fortunate there have not been previous similar incidents.’’