Little boy, 5, was ‘in his school uniform and looking for his brothers’ when he was killed by car – as mum pays tribute

A SCHOOLBOY was killed moving retired into a engaged roadworthy arsenic helium tried to find wherever his older brothers were playing, an inquest heard.

Dexter Chapman, five, was struck by a car connected the A390 roadworthy astatine Penpillick Hill successful Par, Cornwall, successful April past year.

A coroner said helium had seen dashcam footage from a adjacent car of the collision which helium would not amusement to the inquest connected Thursday.

The inquest successful Truro, Cornwall, heard that Dexter had been playing successful the beforehand plot with his brothers erstwhile the older siblings went to play connected a plaything successful a neighbour's garden.

The adjunct coroner for Cornwall Stephen Covell said:"It is apt Dexter near location to hunt for his brothers who had gone disconnected to a neighbour's garden."

But the blond haired boy, who was inactive successful his schoolhouse uniform, went down a way towards the main road.

Witnesses saw him look close and near arsenic helium stood connected an overgrown writer verge.

Mr Covell said Dexter whitethorn person misjudged the velocity of the approaching car oregon not realised what helium needed to look for arsenic helium had "no acquisition of crossing roads".

Dexter ran retired into the 3 lane roadworthy and the car operator had nary accidental of avoiding him arsenic helium was driving astatine up to 45mph connected the steep hill.

The operator said successful a connection that Dexter ran retired successful beforehand of him successful a divided 2nd and helium braked hard but could not debar hitting him.

He said: "I saw thing move. It each happened astatine speed. The adjacent 2nd a kid came retired onto the roadworthy successful beforehand of me.

"He stopped arsenic if helium didn't cognize wherever to go. I didn't cognize which mode to steer to debar him. It each happened truthful fast."

There were nary defects connected the Ford Fiesta.

The schoolboy suffered catastrophic caput and different injuries and, contempt assistance fixed by passing drivers, helium died astatine the scene.

Dexter's parents said helium was a "happy, progressive child" who liked to beryllium retired and astir and was a "cheeky communicative teller".

The coroner recorded a roadworthy postulation collision conclusion.

Mr Covell said: "It is apt that Dexter didn't person immoderate acquisition of crossing the roadworthy oregon did not spot the car oregon misjudged the velocity it was travelling at.

"It's apt that helium was conscionable looking for his member and thought they mightiness person gone backmost to the road.

"He ran crossed the roadworthy into the archetypal lane of the carriageway into the way of the Ford Fiesta. Emergency brakes were applied.

"The operator locked his wheels and tried to steer into the extracurricular lane but Dexter continued to tally crossed the roadworthy and the collision took place.

"The operator was incapable to debar the collision."