Parents' anger at 'appalling' investigation into death of daughter

Published date12 April 2024
Publication titleHuddersfield Daily Examiner
Angela and Colin Dawson said the way Katelyn's death had been investigated was 'appalling' and claimed the police had 'failed' their daughter

Katelyn was 15 when she died in hospital in January 2018 when a BMW car ploughed into a bus stop in Wakefield Road, Moldgreen,

Huddersfield. Katelyn has been described as confident and happy young woman who loved dancing.

On Friday, following a sevenday inquest, senior coroner Martin Fleming concluded that it was 'more likely than not' that the BMW driver, Richard Brooke, had suffered a temporarily loss of consciousness due to fainting at the wheel. He said he had felt unwell and had 'tunnel vision' and could not remember what happened after that.

Mr Fleming concluded that the 'rapidity' of the onset of Mr

Brooke's symptoms would not have given him time to take preventative action.

The coroner said the death of Katelyn was 'heartbreaking' and tragic and said people at the scene had witnessed a 'very distressing' event.

Katelyn, he added, was a muchloved daughter and sister with 'so much to live for.' .

The coroner described Katelyn as a 'beautiful young lady' and a talented dancer who was courageous, bright, happy and confident and who "lit up a room".

"She had so much potential and promise before her short life was cut short. No wonder her death has so devastated her family."

Following the hearing, Angela and Colin released a statement outside Bradford Coroners' Court in which they criticised the West Yorkshire Police investigation. They said: "It has taken six years and three months for her inquest to be heard.

"It has b e e n extremely difficult and harrowing for us to sit through the seven-day inquest. We have seen and heard things that no parent should have to.

"Given the limitations of the evidence presented, we understand the difficulty...

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