Macy Fletcher
PFD Report
Historic (No Identified Response)
Ref: 2019-0227
No published response · Over 2 years old
Response Status
Responses
0 of 2
56-Day Deadline
8 Nov 2019
Over 2 years old — no identified published response
About PFD responses
Organisations named in PFD reports must respond within 56 days explaining what actions they are taking.
Source: Courts and Tribunals Judiciary
Coroner’s Concerns
1. The deceased was strangulated by a blind cord from a blind that had been fitted prior to 2014. This blind did not have any safety features.
During the course of the inquest I heard evidence that there is no national body to provide oversight and offer guidance and support to private landlords on their legal obligations and responsibilities and to share best practice – specifically in relation to updates in safety regulations. This would be of benefit to tenants, landlords and would assist in preventing future fatalities
In this case, the landlord was unaware that blinds fitted prior to 2014 posed a risk of death or serious injury to young children. I heard evidence that had he had known about those risks he would have replaced the blinds.
I also heard evidence that since 1999 there have been at least 40 deaths across the UK due to looped cords. I also heard that there is research that indicates that most accidental deaths involving blind cords happen in the bedroom and occur in children between the ages of 16 and 36 months old. That research shows that most deaths happen when a child is around 23 months old. These toddlers are mobile, their heads still weigh proportionately more than their bodies compared to adults and their muscular control is not yet fully developed. This makes them more prone to be unable to free themselves if they become entangled. In addition, toddlers' windpipes have not yet fully developed and are smaller and less rigid than those of adults and older children. This means that they suffocate far more quickly if their necks are constricted.
During the course of the inquest I heard evidence that there is no national body to provide oversight and offer guidance and support to private landlords on their legal obligations and responsibilities and to share best practice – specifically in relation to updates in safety regulations. This would be of benefit to tenants, landlords and would assist in preventing future fatalities
In this case, the landlord was unaware that blinds fitted prior to 2014 posed a risk of death or serious injury to young children. I heard evidence that had he had known about those risks he would have replaced the blinds.
I also heard evidence that since 1999 there have been at least 40 deaths across the UK due to looped cords. I also heard that there is research that indicates that most accidental deaths involving blind cords happen in the bedroom and occur in children between the ages of 16 and 36 months old. That research shows that most deaths happen when a child is around 23 months old. These toddlers are mobile, their heads still weigh proportionately more than their bodies compared to adults and their muscular control is not yet fully developed. This makes them more prone to be unable to free themselves if they become entangled. In addition, toddlers' windpipes have not yet fully developed and are smaller and less rigid than those of adults and older children. This means that they suffocate far more quickly if their necks are constricted.
Report Sections
Investigation and Inquest
On the 17 January 2019 I commenced an investigation into the death of Macy May Barbara Fletcher. I concluded the inquest on 26 June 2019 and my conclusion was that this was an accidental death.
Circumstances of the Death
On 9 January 2019 the deceased (a 2 year old child) was found unresponsive in the bedroom of her home address with a blind cord strangulating her neck. Paramedics attended and she was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital. Efforts to resuscitate her were unsuccessful and she died at 15:08 pm on 9 January 2019 in the Emergency Department at the Royal Oldham Hospital. There is no evidence of suspicious circumstances or third party involvement in her death.
The deceased lived in a house that was privately rented from a private landlord. The deceased and her family were the second tenants of this property. Their tenancy agreement commenced on 1 December 2016. The deceased was almost 3 months old at the time that she moved into her property with her family.
The deceased’s bedroom had blinds. These had supplied and fitted by a local company on behalf of the landlord in or around April 2011. This was prior to European Standard, EN13120:2009+A1:2014, which was published on 28 February 2014 by The British Standards Institution. The blinds were a standard pull cord blind and they did not have any safety features, such as a chain breaker connector, chain tensioner or wand. Prior to the commencement of the tenancy the landlord checked the property and deemed the blinds to be fully operational and in good working order. He did not undertake any further checks after this date – although routine house inspections took place while the deceased and her family were living there. The landlord owns 6 other properties that he privately rents out. Five of those properties have window dressings that were installed after 2014 and the remaining property has curtains.
The deceased lived in a house that was privately rented from a private landlord. The deceased and her family were the second tenants of this property. Their tenancy agreement commenced on 1 December 2016. The deceased was almost 3 months old at the time that she moved into her property with her family.
The deceased’s bedroom had blinds. These had supplied and fitted by a local company on behalf of the landlord in or around April 2011. This was prior to European Standard, EN13120:2009+A1:2014, which was published on 28 February 2014 by The British Standards Institution. The blinds were a standard pull cord blind and they did not have any safety features, such as a chain breaker connector, chain tensioner or wand. Prior to the commencement of the tenancy the landlord checked the property and deemed the blinds to be fully operational and in good working order. He did not undertake any further checks after this date – although routine house inspections took place while the deceased and her family were living there. The landlord owns 6 other properties that he privately rents out. Five of those properties have window dressings that were installed after 2014 and the remaining property has curtains.
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Data sourced from Courts and Tribunals Judiciary under the Open Government Licence.