Six-year-old died after lorry 'clipped' mother's car

A six-year-old girl died from head and neck injuries in a road collision in which her sibling was also hurt, a coroner said.

Rubie Clarke was in a car that collided with a lorry as it changed lane on the A12, near the Colchester United football stadium, at about 10:30 BST on 10 August.

The Toyota, driven by her mother, crashed into a tree moments later, an inquest opening in Chelmsford heard.

Area coroner Michelle Brown said two people were under investigation by Essex Police, and the inquest was suspended at the force's request.

Police previously said the lorry driver had passed all roadside tests, but was due to be interviewed by detectives.

Rubie was a front-seat passenger in the car and her two siblings were in the rear, Brown told Essex Coroner's Court.

She said the collision happened about 400m (1,312ft) from the junction 28 slip road.

"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 into a tree," the coroner said.

"The Toyota then bounced back into the carriageway and came to a halt."

Brown said Rubie's provisional cause of death, pending further investigation, was injuries to her head and neck.

One of the girl's siblings suffered a leg injury in the collision, which led to the A12 being shut, and was taken to hospital.

The court was not told what the two people were being investigated for - or what their suspected involvement in the incident was.

The brief hearing was attended by three members of Rubie's family.

"Look after yourselves about this, it's a very difficult time. A really difficult time," Brown told them as she concluded proceedings.

She said the inquest would be reviewed in four months' time.

Witnesses and people with dashcam footage of the collision have been urged to contact Essex Police.

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