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Mum's fury after London Borough behind rotting playground swing which killed daughter, 5, won't be prosecuted

<em>Alexia Walenkaki died when the fungi-riddled swing she was playing on collapsed at Mile End Park in London’s East End (SWNS)</em>
Alexia Walenkaki died when the fungi-riddled swing she was playing on collapsed at Mile End Park in London’s East End (SWNS)

The devastated mother of a five-year-old girl who died when a rotting playground swing collapsed said she is ‘truly disappointed’ that there will be no prosecutions over her death.

An inquest ruled that ‘organisational failures’ and a ‘lack of accountability’ led to the death of Alexia Walenkaki, who died in front of her mum a day before her sixth birthday when the fungi-riddled swing she was playing on collapsed at Mile End Park in London’s East End.

The Crown Prosecution Service announced earlier this year that the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which owns and manages the park, would not be prosecuted.

But, giving a narrative verdict, the inquest jury ruled that the ‘inadvertent use of inappropriate wood and organisational failures and a lack of accountability before annual inspection’” were causative factors that led to her death.

Alexia’s mum, Vida Kwotuah, said of the verdict: ‘It is clear to me now that there were many failings here.

<em>The five-year-old died one day before her sixth birthday (SWNS)</em>
The five-year-old died one day before her sixth birthday (SWNS)

‘I am truly disappointed to learn how chaotic and disorganised management was within the Council, which no doubt led to the missed annual inspection in 2014.

‘Because of these failings I have lost my little girl.

‘Alexia’s death shook the foundations of our family. It is terrible, her life was tragically cut so short.’

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She added: ‘It has been horrible to relive the events through the inquest and I hope that no parent ever loses their child in the same circumstances.’

During the inquest at St Pancras Coroner’s Court, jurors heard the swing had been installed three years earlier in the playground. The log swung from a stump fixed into the ground and a nearby zip wire.

The wood was bought for the ‘cheap’ price of £190 from a supplier and had not been treated with any preservatives to protect it from the weather, the court heard.

<em>Alexia’s mum, Vida Kwotuah, said she was ‘truly disappointed’ that there will be no prosecutions (SWNS)</em>
Alexia’s mum, Vida Kwotuah, said she was ‘truly disappointed’ that there will be no prosecutions (SWNS)

A tree expert told the hearing that the log was suffering from a ‘blunderbuss’ of fungi, was in a poor condition and was of a type of wood he would not recommend for outdoor play equipment.

Arborologist Kevin Moore said: ‘The tree fractured because it was so extremely decayed, it could not resist the load applied to it, it was not strong enough to support the load.

‘I was asked if it was suitable for play activity and it is not a species I would have recommended because of its propensity to decay.’

In a statement, read by Senior Coroner Mary Hassell, Ms Kwotuah said: ‘She was our world.

‘I lived with Alexia and her sibling who was very happy to have her as a sister.

<em>Ms Kwotuah said her daughter was a ‘blessing’ (SWNS)</em>
Ms Kwotuah said her daughter was a ‘blessing’ (SWNS)

‘She was a blessing to have and cherished by our family.’

Speaking after the inquest she said: ‘We hope that lessons have been learnt and safeguards are now in place to ensure that no further annual inspections are missed.

‘We also hope that checks are made when new equipment is installed, to make sure it is done properly.

‘Children have a right to play safely in public playgrounds.’

The jury ruled that Alexia’s cause of death was a ‘serious head injury.’