Shaniqua Loftman-Smith: Ambulance crash that killed girl 'tragic'

Shaniqua Loftman-Smith was hit by an ambulance on a 999 call on 22 December

A crash where an ambulance fatally struck a 10-year-old while answering a 999 call was "nothing short of tragic", a coroner has found.

Shaniqua Loftman-Smith died eight days after a crash on Low Wood Road, Bulwell, Nottingham, at about 18:30 GMT on 22 December.

Nottingham Coroner's Court heard the ambulance had its blue lights flashing but did not have its sirens on.

Assistant coroner Laurinda Bower concluded the collision was accidental.

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The inquest heard Shaniqua and a child relative had headed out of a nearby housing estate to get sweets for a film night shortly before the crash.

Ms Bower said the deceased was "streetwise" but "was unaware" she was placing herself in the path of an "imminent collision" when attempting to cross the road.

After the crash she was taken to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham but died "as a result of a traumatic head injury sustained" in the collision.

The vehicle was travelling at 52mph, which is above the advisory limit set by East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS).

Driver Paul Adcock said he was responding to an emergency call and was driving at a safe speed and using sirens "intermittently" when overtaking vehicles.

Ms Bower said she could not say the speed was "inappropriate", adding a paramedic in the ambulance and other eyewitnesses "were not alarmed by the speed".

'Accidental collision'

Ms Bower said there was "a possibility" Shaniqua may have heard the sirens if they were being used at the time of the crash, but found it would be "a leap too far" to say the crash would not have occurred had they been used.

Once Shaniqua stepped into the road it caused "an accidental collision which neither party could have avoided", she said.

Ms Bower added she was "pleased" by efforts made by EMAS to improve its policies on issuing guidance and training drivers, but said she would write to Highways England after some eyewitnesses said street lighting in the area around the crash was dimmer than on other parts of the road.

EMAS said it has carried out a "high-level investigation" into the crash to "prevent this from ever happening again".

Following the inquest, Kerry Smith paid tribute to her daughter, and thanked friends and family for their support following her death.

"The pain of losing a child is like no other," she said.