June 20, 2012 10:14 pm
Source: www.ft.com
Family’s terrifying race to save daughter from car fireball - The Sun
Leanne Helm, 21, her fiancée Callum Cannon, 23, and eight-month-old Jessica were driving home when black smoke began pouring through the Skoda’s air vents.
After making an emergency stop Callum hopped out of the stricken vehicle.
But supermarket cashier Leanne and her child were confronted with the horror scenario of their motor’s central locking kicking in – trapping themselves inside it.
Tesco supervisor Callum was then forced to smash a window to free the tot.
Meanwhile Leanne eventually managed to prize her door open – before the Fabia model exploded.
A helicopter, police and fire brigade were all deployed to the scene and Jessica and her parents were rushed to hospital. The road had to be closed for around an hour.
Today as Skoda were investigating the incident in Northwich, Cheshire, Leanne said: “It’s miracle none of us were killed because the car went up like a firework display.”
The trio from Middlewich, had been to watch the Olympic Torch pass through the nearby town of Knutsford, and were returning home along Northwich Road when Callum smelt burning and told his partner to pull over.
Callum, said: “We’d put the heaters on because it was cold and wet and then I started to smell something burning and black smoke started coming in through the vents.
“I opened the passenger door and jumped out onto the layby but as Leanne put on the handbrake and the car stalled the central locking kicked in — leaving her and Jessica stuck inside the car.
“I was really panicking, it was the worst time of my life, and all I could think about was that I could lose both Leanne and Jessica.
Leanne continued: “I started screaming, ’I can’t get out, my door's locked’, but I wanted Callum to focus on getting Jessica out. I just wanted him to make sure she was safe, I didn’t think about myself.”
A Skoda spokesman said: “We are working with Miss Helm and her family to establish what has happened and what can be done to help her. We are very concerned about them and the fact that they are without a car.
“We are working with them and have a team who are inspecting the car. Although this does not happen very often, when it does we have to have a very close look at what did happen and that is our primary concern.”
Source: www.thesun.co.uk
Mother jailed for killing young daughter eight years after coroner halted inquest when he suspected foul play - Daily Mail
- CPS had felt there wasn't enough evidence top prosecute Lesley Dunford
- In 2009 East Sussex coroner Alan Craze demanded the case was revisited
By Leon Watson
|
Lesley Dunford was onvicted of the manslaughter of her three-year-old daughter after an inquest into the 2004 death was dramatically halted by a coroner
A mother has been convicted of killing her young daughter eight years ago after a coroner dramatically halted the tragic tots inquest.
Lesley Dunford, 33, who lives in Exeter, Devon, was imprisoned for seven years at Lewes Crown Court today after being found guilty of manslaughter.
Dunford's daughter Lucy was found dead in February 2004 and after two conflicting post mortems her mother was arrested, however at the time the CPS felt there was not enough evidence to prosecute.
Sentencing yesterday Judge Richard Brown said: 'The jury have convicted you of manslaughter of your three-year-old daughter Lucy.
'It may well be you are the only one who knows exactly what happened on that dreadful day in 04 which took you from carer to killer.
'Since then you have done your level best to lie your way out of any responsibility.
'This indicates you have little or no remorse for what you did.'
Dunford's daughter Lucy was found dead in her bed at the family home in Camber, near Rye, East Sussex.
An original post mortem found that Lucy may have died from a sudden onset of a bacterial infection which led to her choking on her own vomit.
However, during a second examination this was disputed and the idea put forward that suspicious bruising on the tot's upper body may mean her airways had been compressed forcefully.
At the time Dunford claimed her daughter had been 'perfectly fine' earlier in the day but that she had been tired so she had put her to bed - she later told paramedics she thought her daughter had had a 'fit'.
After she had found her daughter Dunfold refused to ring the emergency services until she had spoken to her husband - whom she told 'it's happened again' in reference to Lucy's younger brother Harley who had been found dead in his cot six months previously.
Paramedics at Conquest Hospital in Hastings noticed two marks on her neck which had started to bruise and requested the attendance of police at the hospital.
Dunford's house in Camber, East Sussex, where her daughter Lucy was found dead in her bed
Dunford was arrested in February 2004 and interviewed by police then and again in May.
Her case was passed to the Crown Prosecution Service who decided there was not enough evidence to charge Dunford with the murder of Lucy.
'This was a difficult and complex case that involved evidence from a number of medical experts.'
Simon Ringrose, CPS
But during her inquest in 2009 East Sussex coroner Alan Craze demanded the case was revisited.
The inquest threw up new information which had been given by medical experts in 2005 during a Family Court hearing into Lucy's death.
This information had not been passed on to the CPS. Dunford was then rearrested and charged in July 2011.
Prosecutor Sally Howes QC said during the trial that the inquest had 'excluded the likelihood' of a serious infection and found that injuries to the airways were consistent with an 'application of force'.
On July 12, 2011, Dunford was therefore rearrested and Ms Howes said she told officers: 'I have been waiting for this to happen.'
Dunford, 33, was arrested in February 2004 and interview by police then and again in May
During his sentencing Judge Brown told the court he took into account Dunford's 'childlike manner' and the 'long delay' in bringing the trial to court.
However he said courts have a duty to 'protect little people like Lucy from violence'.
Speaking afterwards, Detective Chief Inspector Nick Sloan, of the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, said: 'There was a thorough police investigation at the time but the forensic evidence then did not support a prosecution.
'The death of Lucy was immediately treated as suspicious by Sussex Police. Her mother was arrested and interviewed and there was a thorough investigation.
'However, based on the information available at the time, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decision was that there was insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution.
'The CPS decision turned largely on reports from two pathologists, which were conflicting.'
Simon Ringrose, of the CPS, said: 'This was a difficult and complex case that involved evidence from a number of medical experts.
'The reinvestigation into the circumstances of Lucy Dunford's death included obtaining further medical evidence.
'This evidence effectively ruled out a natural cause of death and was consistent with Lucy having been suffocated.
'The only person who could have done this was her mother, Lesley Dunford.'
After the sentencing Wayne Dunford declined to comment.
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
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