Inquest hears how five-year-old died after large mirror fell on him in Fenwick store
A five year old boy tragically lost his life after a large mirror in a Fenwick department store fell on him while he was looking at his reflection, an inquest heard. Freddie Farrow seemed to exert "very little force" and an Essex Police detective concluded that the mirror "must have been very near or on its balance point", the Chelmsford hearing was informed.
The mirror, standing 8ft 6in (2.6m) tall and almost 2ft (0.6m) wide, fell onto Freddie at the Fenwick store in Colchester, Essex, on July 27 2021, according to a police report. It was estimated to weigh between 132lb and 176lb (60kg-80kg), Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Michael Pannell told the inquest.
Mr Pannell, who relayed a report prepared by his colleague, Detective Inspector Fred Tomkins, who couldn't attend the inquest, said police were alerted to the incident by the ambulance service at 11.32am. "The initial report was that a large mirror had fallen on a child," Mr Pannell stated, adding that the young boy was "unconscious".
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He revealed that the boy was first taken to Colchester Hospital before being moved to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where he passed away on August 2 2021. Mr Pannell mentioned that the report’s author, Mr Tomkins, provided the dimensions of the mirror, which was located in the store’s lingerie department.
He also estimated its weight, noting that the glass was shattered and there was a "considerable amount of blood on the floor".
Mr Pannell, talking about on the findings of Mr Tomkins' report, said: "It was my view that this part of the bracket between the two metal brackets had effectively come apart, leaving it freestanding and leaning against the wall."
The tragic incident, which was recorded on CCTV, showed young Freddie entering the lingerie section alongside his mother and her friend. "Freddie appears to touch the mirror, looking at his own reflection," recounted Mr Pannell. "The mirror appears to shimmer before moving forwards."
According to Mr Tomkins’ analysis, "very little force was used by Freddie, and my view is the mirror must have been very near or on its balance point". Essex Senior Coroner Lincoln Brookes described the CCTV footage as "distressing" and chose not to play it during the inquest.
He informed the jury that "a large mirror attached to a column fell over on top of him (Freddie), causing very serious head injuries". The impact, Mr Pannell noted, struck Freddie on the "top and back of his head", leading to a "catastrophic brain injury".
Mr Pannell added that Freddie "doesn’t really apply any force to the mirror which weighs a significant amount, then (the mirror) leans forward and hits him". Throughout these painful proceedings, Freddie’s mother, Natasha Ingham, was present with family, remembering her son as "cheeky and funny and clever".
While reading a pen portrait, she remarked: "He was always smiling which was like a ray of sunshine."
His father, Andrew Farrow, who could not attend the hearing, had his words conveyed through the coroner’s officer's statement, expressing that it "feels like part of our world is missing". The inquest, estimated to last four to five days, continues.