Child died after heater was left on at full blast

A 23-MONTH-OLD girl died of heat stroke after a night with her bedroom heater on full blast, an inquest was told yesterday.

When Jennifer Turley's father, Ian Turley, 39, went to wake her on a cold February morning at their home in Thornaby, Cleveland, her bedroom was hot and streaming with condensation.

She was dead on arrival at hospital, where doctors recorded her temperature at 42C (107.6F) - the maximum reading on a thermometer, the inquest at Middlesbrough was told. It was possible that the child had turned the electric convector heater up to maximum while playing with the control, the coroner, Michael Sheffield, said.

Detective Constable Stephen Thompson told the inquest he tested the heater on its highest setting in the 10ft by 9ft bedroom.

In four hours the temperature reached 43.6C in the centre of the room, considered to be fatal, and 38.7C in the centre of the cot.

A verdict of accidental death was recorded.