Alexia Walenkaki: Watchdog probe 'last hope for justice' over death of girl, 5, in swing collapse at Mile End park

A mother whose five-year-old daughter died in a tree swing tragedy today said an investigation by safety watchdogs was her last hope for justice.

Alexia Walenkaki died when a rotting playground swing collapsed on her in Mile End park in Tower Hamlets.

An inquest found poplar wood was wrongly used to make the equipment instead of oak, and the council missed a safety check on the playground 10 months before the fatality in July 2016.

Before last week’s inquest, the Crown Prosecution Service said nobody would face criminal charges over the death.

But Tower Hamlets council could be prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive, which is probing the case and has the powers to charge the council under health and safety laws.

Alexia’s mother, Vida Kwotuah, said: “My only hope now is the HSE come back with a prosecution. After all the failings have been highlighted now in court, I hope this will lead to charges.”

The 45-year-old from Poplar added: “I have also pressed the CPS to review its original decision in light of the inquest findings. I have a meeting set up with them to discuss it.”

The jury at St Pancras coroner’s court ruled “inadvertent use of inappropriate wood and organisational failures and a lack of accountability before annual inspection” were among factors that led to the death. The HSE said: “HSE’s investigation into this is ongoing and we cannot comment further.”

A spokeswoman for Tower Hamlets council said: “Following Alexia’s death, we immediately made urgent safety checks of equipment at all council-run play facilities and have implemented a more rigorous system for inspecting and maintaining park play equipment across the borough.

“Alexia should have been kept safe while using Mile End Park. No words can adequately express our regret that she was not.

“We continue to co-operate with the ongoing HSE investigation.”