Toddler died after being struck by grandfather’s caravan, inquest hears

“The sunshine she brought to all our lives will last forever,” said her parents

Josie and her parents were meeting family members on their holiday in the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

A toddler died after being struck by her grandparents’ moving caravan as she jumped around in puddles, an inquest has heard.

Josie Gordon, 20 months old, was on a family holiday at a campsite in the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall when she was killed by a caravan being towed by her grandfather.

It is believed that Josie had either stood close to the caravan when it began moving and it knocked her down, or she had put herself on the floor and was run over.

Josie suffered severe injuries to her head and chest, and she died almost instantly.

Her parents, Harry Gordon and Hannah Bingham, set off from their home on the morning of 12 May 2021 in their VW campervan, Cornwall Coroner’s Court heard.

They were meeting family members including Josie’s grandparents Ian and Bethan Gordon.

In a written statement, Miss Bingham said the accident happened quickly while Josie jumped in puddles in her wellies.

“I had a good view of everything and could see Josie was just playing in the puddles at the back of Ian and Bethan’s caravan – she was having the time of her life,” she said.

“It felt like the car and caravan had been moving for a couple of seconds when the caravan, moving, passed me and once it moved past, I instantly saw Josie on the ground of the gravel track.

“It literally felt like seconds from seeing her in the puddle to then seeing her on the floor. I didn’t see what or how she came to be on the floor.

“All I saw was the car and caravan move forwards and suddenly she was on the floor. Harry shouted, ‘Josie’s on the floor’ and Ian instantly stopped the car. Harry scooped her up and I don’t think we realised how bad it was.

“I was just telling that mummy’s here, and I was trying to keep her warm and I kissed her hands. I think I knew deep down she wasn’t okay, but I didn’t want to believe what I thought.”

Josie’s father spoke of the incident, saying the car “rocked” from side to side as if it had run over something and then realised his daughter was on the floor.

When he was informed of Josie’s death, he recalled: “I thought this wasn’t real. I was in total disbelief about what happened.”

Josie’s grandfather said he did not see anything when he checked his wing mirrors as he pulled away, and did not feel any impact.

“I was moving forward and only had been doing that for a few seconds when I heard Harry shout, ‘Josie’s been run over by the caravan’,” he explained.

Subsequently, in a victim statement, Mr Gordon said Josie’s death left him with “painful remorse and constant grief”.

Pc Scott Robinson, who investigated the accident, told the inquest that due to Josie’s height she was probably not seen by her grandfather.

“Josie has been knocked under the caravan and become injured when the caravan began to move over her,” he said.

“It is also possible that Josie had no perception of danger at the time the caravan was stationary and has put herself under the caravan becoming injured when the caravan began to move.

“I am not able to say from the evidence which of these scenarios is most likely.”

Senior coroner for Cornwall Andrew Cox concluded that Josie had died as a result of a road traffic collision.

“By any description this is a tragic set of circumstances and I cannot begin to imagine how difficult this has been for all the members of the family, particularly Josie’s parents,” he said.

Josie’s parents issued a statement after the inquest, calling Josie “a happy, vibrant, beautiful force of nature whose life was tragically taken in the worst of circumstances.”

They continued: “She will be eternally cherished by all of us and, in particular, her loving parents.

“The sunshine she brought to all our lives will last forever.”