Girl killed in tumble drier

A post-mortem examination is expected to be carried out today after a three-year-old girl died in a tumble drier.

A post-mortem examination is expected to be carried out today after a three-year-old girl died in a tumble drier.

Georgina Bywater clambered into the appliance overnight at her family's home in Brierley Hill, West Midlands, on Friday.

It is believed she wandered downstairs shortly after dawn and may have suffocated when the drier's door closed with her inside.

She was taken to Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley but was pronounced dead.

Steve Woodall, Georgina's grandfather, told the Wolverhampton Express and Star: "All that we know is that she got into the tumble drier, fell asleep and died from suffocation."

Mr Woodall described the death as a "tragic accident" while Georgina's mother, Sarah-Jane, told the paper: "She didn't deserve for this to happen to her ... We will miss her terribly."

A West Midlands Police spokeswoman said the death was being treated as "unexplained".

It is not known how old the tumble drier was. There is no suggestion it was turned on. Roger Vincent, from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said deaths involving household appliances like tumble driers were rare. "The manufacturers did look at this some years ago and tried to change the apertures on the doors so it was less likely to happen," he said.

"But we will have to wait for the outcome of an inquest to see what has happened on this occasion. It's a very tragic case.

"It's terrible when an everyday household item that people would never imagine could pose a threat to a child leads to something as awful as this."

An inquest is set to be opened.