Dorset man accidentally kills grandson by reversing car with toddler underneath

Tyrone Taylor described his desperate efforts to save the three-year-old's life

Charlie was rushed to Poole Hospital but later died of a severe traumatic head injury (Lorraine and Keith Bowdler/Creative Commons)

A grandfather accidentally killed his grandson after the three-year-old crawled under his car, an inquest has heard.

Charlie Taylor died when Tyrone Taylor reversed over him after the boy went underneath the family Volkswagen to retrieve his skateboard in Poole, Dorset on 1 October.

In his statement to the inquest, Mr Taylor said he had finished cleaning his son’s car and was moving it on the driveway when the accident happened.

He explained that he thought Charlie was in the house and the parking sensors did not sound as he started to reverse.

But Mr Taylor said he had reversed three feet when he heard a "bang" and saw one of Charlie’s shoes lying on the ground.

The child was found entirely underneath the vehicle and was bleeding from the head.

Mr Taylor, 64, fought to save Charlie along with neighbour Robin Struthers as they waited for an ambulance, but the boy died at Poole Hospital.

The inquest at Bournemouth Coroner’s Court heard Mr Taylor and his wife, Eileen, had been looking after Charlie at their son’s home.

Mr Struthers told the court he rushed over to help and heard Mr Taylor say: "Oh my God. I’ve killed my grandson", the Bournemouth Echo reports.

A post-mortem later said Charlie had died from a severe traumatic head injury.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Dorset Coroner Sheriff Stanhope Payne said the incident was "clearly a tragic accident".

He concluded: "It seems clear that Charlie himself has put himself under the car in some way."