Inquest update into death of South Shields tot killed in horror Lanzarote crash
An inquest hearing into the death of Harper Ayton has been adjourned - with a senior coroner awaiting updates from the Spanish authorities.
by Sam Volpe · ChronicleLiveA British coroner is still awaiting a post-mortem report for Harper Ayton, the months-old-tot who died when a driver ploughed into her family while on holiday in Lanzarote.
South Shields baby Harper was just four months old when she died on March 11. She had been struck by a vehicle believed to have been driven by expat Olivia Brown, 23, who is alleged to have been over the legal limit and under the influence of alcohol and drugs at the wheel.
Brown, then 23, was reported by MailOnline to have appeared in front of a Spanish judge in the island's capital of Arrecife on May 17. It was reported that she had declined to answer questions in a closed hearing.
A brief inquest hearing in the UK before Senior Coroner Jeremy Chipperfield at Crook Coroners' Court has now heard that the coroner continues to await receipt of a post-mortem investigation into little Harper's death.
The tot was killed in the collision, which also injured parents Alex Chadkirk, 28. and TImothy Ayton, 40, were also injured - as were Alex's parents Andrea and Derek Chadkirk. Two people from Sweden were also understood to be injured in the horror crash.. At the coroner's court, the senior coroner said: "Harper died in Lanzarote where there was a road traffic collision."
He explained that since the case had last been before him - on September 16 - there had been no update, and was told by the coroner's officer handling the case that they were still awaiting key details, including an update on the Spanish criminal investigation and the post-mortem investigation.
The coroner adjourned the inquest for a further mention hearing on the morning of October 30 - which he said would be "for update on the post-mortem report and the Spanish criminal investigation proceedings".
The crash took place at the Playa Bianca resort, with The Mirror reporting how a Ford Fiesta had mounted the pavement and crashed into a number of people. Harper died at the scene despite the efforts of paramedics to revive her.
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