Coroner’s tears over unexplained death of healthy two-year-old girl in her sleep
A CORONER was reduced to tears as he said he could not explain why an apparently healthy girl died in her sleep.
Michael Singleton broke down at an inquest as he gave his condolences to the parents of two-year-old Elise Pickering, saying his family had endured a similar tragedy. Elise, described as a “little angel”, was found dead in bed by her parents, Graham and Lesley Pickering, at home in Whalley, Lancashire, on July 18. Tests by consultant paediatric pathologist Dr Melanie Newbold found no explanation.
At the hearing in Clitheroe, senior district coroner Mr Singleton had to pause to gather his thoughts. He said: “In terms of ‘could anything have been done?’ the answer is no, because we don’t know how she died. As a parent and grandparent, I can’t begin to imagine the distress – I cannot go there. My children have been through this.
“The medical cause was unascer- tained but I am satisfied that it was a natural cause of death. What I set out to do was provide answers to the question ‘why did our little girl die?’ and I can tell you Dr Newbold and I have done everything to try and give you the answers to that question.”
The hearing was told Elise’s mother had seen her asleep with nothing amiss earlier that night.
Dr Newbold found no signs of injury, trauma, illness, infection or poisoning. Asked about sudden deaths in children, she said: “There is a lot of work being done into younger infants. I have to say it’s less common in Elise’s age.”