A SIX-year-old girl died in a car crash while travelling in a vehicle which was clipped by a lorry changing lanes on the A12, an inquest has heard.
Rubie Clarke was in the front seat of a Toyota which then veered off the road between junctions 27 and 28 near Colchester on Monday, August 10.
Opening an inquest into Rubie’s death, coroner Michelle Brown said the six-year-old was found “partially in the front footwell of the car with the seatbelt around her neck”.
Mrs Brown added she had been asked to provisionally suspend the inquest for four months by Essex Police while an investigation into the collision continues.
She said: “This six-year-old little girl lived with her parents.
“On August 10, she was a front seat passenger in a Toyota that was being driven by her mum.
“Two other siblings were in the rear of the vehicle.
“At approximately 10.30am, about 400 metres prior to the slip road at Junction 28, a lorry travelling in lane two has indicated to move back into lane one, but in doing so has clipped the rear offside of the Toyota, causing it to collide with a tree.”
Mrs Brown said the Toyota then “bounced back into the carriageway” before coming to a stop.
Paramedics attended the scene and confirmed Rubie’s death at 11.18am, the coroner added, before two people were interviewed voluntarily.
Mrs Brown continued: "On August 11, a forensic post-mortem and paediatric post-mortem was performed at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
“A provisional cause of death has been given as 1A, head and neck injuries, pending further investigation.”
Addressing three members of Rubie’s family who attended the inquest opening, Mrs Brown said although the inquest has been suspended for four months, police will likely need longer to conduct their inquiries.
She said: “I am going to formally suspend the inquest and we will have a review period of four months.
“We chase up and find out how the police investigation is going – that will take considerably longer than four months.
“We suspend it and don’t do anything with it until such time as we get a decision from the police with their investigation.”
Mrs Brown adjourned the inquest, which will be re-opened at a later date.
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