'Our beautiful daughter went for a short walk on a summer's evening and never came home'

Undated family handout photo of of Rebekah Morris, 29, who died in Littlethorpe, Leicestershire, on 9 July 2022 when she was trampled by a cow in a field while walking her dog. Issue date: Tuesday October 15, 2024.
-Credit: (Image: PA Media)


The father of a woman who was trampled to death by a cow while walking her dog in a field has said "nothing will help" him and her mum overcome their loss. Becki Morris's father, David, described her as "beautiful" and said she had gone for a "short walk with her chihuahua on a summer's evening and never came home".

Mr Morris spoke outside Leicester Town Hall today after the conclusion of an inquest into his daughter's death. The inquest jury concluded that Becki was trampled to death by a cow after straying from a footpath across a field.

Becki, 29, had been walking her dog Zero in Littlethorpe on the evening of July 9, 2022, when she was killed. The jury at Leicester Coroner's Court found that Ms Morris had "deviated for reasons unknown" from the field's public footpath, which she used to enter the field, before she came across the cow, "tragically causing injuries which led to her death".

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Leicestershire coroner Isobel Thistlethwaite heard that Ms Morris sent a photo of the cattle in the field to her mother while walking Zero. The inquest was told that she stopped responding to text messages so her parents searched for her in the field shown in the image, where they found her injured. Despite efforts from paramedics at the scene, Ms Morris went into cardiac arrest and died at 11.21pm.

Dr Michael Biggs, a forensic pathologist who carried out the post-mortem examination, told the inquest on Monday that Becki had injuries, including blunt force traumatic injuries and abrasions, which were "consistent with hoof marks from a trampling incident". He said she sustained "extensive damage to the liver" which caused "severe internal bleeding", leading to her death.

The inquest also heard that a public footpath running through the field off Riverside Way, which formed part of Warwick Bridge Farm at the time, was marked by "yellow posts". The farm owner's son, Guy Hutton, told the jury that when he left the farm that evening and saw Ms Morris injured, she was some way from this designated path.

No captionDavid and Anthea Morris, Rebekah Morriss parents (Sophie Robinson/PA)
David and Anthea Morris, Rebekah Morriss parents (Sophie Robinson/PA) -Credit:No credit

He also said that there were either 17 or 18 cows and one calf in the field and that he had "never known the cattle to stampede". He added that they were "easy-going" cows that acted in a "docile manner".

Ms Thistlethwaite concluded the inquest by addressing the family. She said: "To Becki's family, you have my very, very sincere condolences. It is very clear to me how much you loved Becki. You must miss her terribly and you have my best wishes for the future."

Speaking after the jury's narrative conclusion today (Friday, October 18), Ms Morris's father, David, read a statement on behalf of the family outside Leicester Town Hall. He said "nothing will help" them overcome their loss, but they were "satisfied" with the conclusion found by the jury.

Rebekah Morris inquest
-Credit:PA Media

The Health and Safety Executive confirmed that an investigation into Ms Morris's death is ongoing.

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