Mother and daughter died from collision - inquest

A mother and her five-year-old daughter died from the injuries they suffered when they were hit by a vehicle while the pair were using a pedestrian crossing, an inquest heard.

The inquest at Exeter Coroner Court heard Destiny Harrison, 24, and Linnea Harrison died after the crash on Victoria Road in the St Budeaux area of Plymouth, Devon on 24 March 2024.

The court heard Linnea's cause of death was a "devastating head injury" and Destiny died from "multiple injuries" including injuries to her head and body.

Linnea was pronounced dead at the scene while her mother died later at Derriford Hospital, the inquest heard.

Emergency services were called at about 09:45 BST to a report of an accident involving the car and two pedestrians.

The inquest heard it was possible Destiny, described by her family as a "devoted" mother, was hit first by the vehicle and it was unlikely to be the other way round based on the damage to the car.

The family said Linnea was the centre of Destiny's world.

Investigation lead Det Sgt Troy Bennett told the court Destiny and Linnea were seen walking "hand in hand" just before the incident.

The last footage of them was from a residential property camera two minutes before the collision, he said.

Eyewitness Philip Askew said he was walking his dog when he saw a woman and a child heading towards the pedestrian crossing but briefly turned away before the crash.

He said Destiny and Linnea were talking, laughing and holding hands.

The driver of the car Brenda Marriott, 76, who did not attend the hearing but submitted a written statement, said she was driving along Victoria Road with a white car in front of her as she approached the crossing.

She said: "I saw two shadows of pedestrians. The car in front was higher than mine, so I did not have a clear view.

"When I drove closer, I saw the woman and a smaller person, with their heads down, step out into the road.

"They were holding hands. They stepped out in front of my car."

Marriott said she believed the lights were green.

"I am so sorry," she added.

"I am in shock."

The court heard Marriot was arrested following the collision but faced no further police action.

Bennett, who investigated the accident, said collision experts had estimated Marriott's speed at between 27mph and 32mph at the point of impact.

"A full evidential review was conducted based on the evidence we gathered," he told the inquest.

"Based on that evidence there was no physical evidence to suggest that Mrs Marriott's driving was below the standard of a careful and competent driver."

Bennett said this decision had been reviewed by both senior officers and the Crown Prosecution Service.

Speaking after the inquest, Destiny's mother Sally Harrison thanked the kind people who helped them both after the incident including emergency and medical staff who went "above and beyond".

She said Destiny would have done anything for anybody: "She had a heart of gold and lived for her little girl Linnea.

"She loved spending time with her family and had a passion for photography.

"Linnea was a bright and imaginative five-year-old who loved swimming and dancing like her mum."

Sally Harrison said: "Linnea and Destiny would walk everywhere together and she understood road safety because Destiny was so conscientious about it."

She described the pair as her whole world and said their family's lives had been "destroyed by what's happened".

Sally Harrison said the family had submitted a complaint to police about how the investigation was handled.

She added: "The fact we have no accountability or answers means it's even harder to deal with what's happened.

"I am going to continue the fight for justice for my girls."

PC Mel Inness, a forensic collision investigator, told the inquest there were no defects with the car and no evidence from the scene to assist with assessing speed or reaction time of the driver.

She said the car was heading in the southbound direction of Victoria Road and there were no marks on the road to indicate pre-driver reaction.

"There was nothing within the physical evidence to indicate emergency braking immediately prior to or post-impact but this does not preclude it from having occurred," Inness said.

She said it was not known what colour the traffic lights were at the point the driver approached the collision scene or at what point the pedestrian stepped in the road.

Senior coroner for Devon, Plymouth and Torbay Philip Spinney concluded they died from a road traffic collision.

He offered the family his sincerest condolences and said: "For the family the feelings of loss and grief are hard to imagine."

Spinney thanked the family for their contributions and the police for their "comprehensive investigation".

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