Two year old Ruby’s death was a ‘tragic accident’

The death of a little girl who drowned in the River Nene at a festival in Peterborough has been described as a ‘tragic accident’ at an inquest.

Ruby Tyers, who was described as a very fast, very inquisitive, friendly, curious and giggly two-year-old, fell into the water at the Embankment in the city on Sunday, September 3 during Key Feste.

She died at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge at 8.51am the following day.

At an inquest held in Huntingdon on Tuesday, Her mother Wendy Gray said she lost sight of Ruby as she and her partner were helping disabled children at a festival stand around 10-yards from the water’s edge.

She said at the time that Ruby had run towards the riverbank to look for ducks and swans and was out of the couple’s eyeline for seconds and was only in the water for two minutes.

The emergency services, including police, fire, ambulance and the Magpas Air Ambulance were all called, with event and Lido staff all rushing to help the little girl, giving her CPR, but sadly she died the next day. .

A post-mortem examination said the cause of death was pneumonia from cardiac arrest after submersion in water.

The festival was stopped following the tragic accident.

Flowers and cuddly toys were left in tribute to the little girl by the riverbank.

Cambridgeshire assistant coroner Simon Milburn concluded Ruby’s death was a “tragic accident” at the inquest at Huntingdon Law Courts earlier this week.

Ruby Tyers