Freddie Farrow: Coroner delivers final ruling after boy, 5, killed by falling mirror in shop

Freddie Farrow died of a traumatic encephalon wounded erstwhile a "very ample mirror" fell connected him astatine a Fenwick section store successful Colchester, Essex

The grieving mum of a lad who was crushed nether a reflector successful a section store said his decease had near "a spread that tin ne'er beryllium filled".

Natasha Ingham paid a heartbreaking tribute to her son, Freddie Farrow, five, aft an inquest assemblage recovered his decease was an accident.

The schoolboy died aft the "very ample mirror" fell connected him successful the Fenwick section store successful Colchester, Essex, connected July 27 2021.

He was archetypal taken to Colchester infirmary and past transferred to Addenbrooke's successful Cambridge, wherever helium died connected August 2 2021, having sustained a traumatic encephalon injury.

Delivering a decision of mishap aft a five-day inquest, the assemblage forewoman told the court: "Freddie Farrow was successful a section store erstwhile a precise ample reflector toppled implicit and fell connected him, causing unsurvivable encephalon injuries.

"The reflector had been designed to beryllium attached to a file and basal connected the ground.

"The incidental reflector had not been securely installed and was suspended from the ground.

"Its unsafe authorities had not been recognised anterior to the incident."

In a connection released done Essex Police, Natasha said: “Losing a kid is thing nary genitor tin ever get over.

“As a family, we deliberation astir Freddie each day, and we retrieve him arsenic helium was; arsenic a loving, caring and amusive small lad who had his full beingness successful beforehand of him.

“His nonaccomplishment has near a spread that tin never, and volition never, beryllium filled.

“We are trying to unrecorded our lives arsenic we cognize Freddie would person wanted america to, with love, kindness and with joy. He volition ne'er permission us.”

Essex Coroner's Court successful Colchester heard grounds from Essex Police, operation steadfast Sir Robert McAlpine, shop-fitters Dula, Colchester Council and the Health and Safety Executive.

The mirror, which was 2.6 metres precocious (8ft 6in) and weighed betwixt 60kg and 80kg (132lb-176lb), toppled connected to Freddie, and had been "unsecured", the inquest was told.

Freddie appeared to usage precise small unit erstwhile helium touched the reflector and it fell connected him, a detective told jurors.

Essex Police said CCTV footage showed the lad appearing to interaction a ample reflector portion looking astatine his ain reflection.

Cops said determination was a metallic bracket connected the partition and a metallic bracket connected the mirror, and a woody portion of the bracket was successful pieces.

Speaking aft the verdict, Natasha added: “I would besides similar to convey each those from Essex Police who attended the section store and tried to assistance Freddie and for their probe into what happened.

"I would specifically similar to notation publically Colchester PCSO Lee Compton who was the archetypal idiosyncratic determination and tried to prevention Freddie.

"I cognize helium did everything helium perchance could, and we are truthful grateful for everything for that – his actions whitethorn person fixed america the six days we had by Freddie’s bedside to accidental goodbye.”

Freddie's household were tearful successful the tribunal erstwhile Mr Brookes offered his condolences and asked the tribunal to basal successful soundlessness for a fewer seconds to retrieve him.

Chief Supt Stuart Weaver, who oversees policing successful northbound Essex, said: “July 27, 2021, remains 1 of the astir devastating days galore officers successful Colchester person had successful policing, from those officers who arrived astatine Fenwick’s wrong minutes of the call, to those who investigated the incidental and provided a fulsome study to the coroner.

"Essex Police is simply a unit which values household and everything that goes with that. Freddie’s decease is simply a tragedy, and it is 1 which we volition ne'er forget.

"In the days, weeks and months aft Freddie’s death, the Colchester assemblage showed its emotion and unity. That is simply a assemblage which we’re arrogant to beryllium portion of."