Judge to exonerate parents over drowned toddler

A JUDGE investigating the tragic death of Irish toddler Lucy Bennett is set to exonerate her parents of any blame.

Manrique Tejada was expected to shelve his investigation after concluding that grieving father Darren, 29, and mother Lynn, 30, should not face neglect charges.

Coroners sent him a postmortem report showing the 22-month-old drowned in the family swimming pool and there is no forensic evidence to indicate it was anything other than an accident.

A police report into Sunday evening’s tragedy at the family home in the resort of El Campello near Alicante on Spain’s east coast, has already ruled out foul play.

A source said: “All the indications are the judge will shelve the investigation once he has read through the coroner’s report.

“He is not minded to launch a full-scale investigation to determine whether they should face negligence charges. He feels the facts point to a tragic accident which the little girl’s parents will have to live with for the rest of their lives. Court action over what at worst was a momentary lapse of concentration is just going to compound their grief.”

Mechanic Darren, from Kent in England, and Lynn, from Lusk, Co Dublin, were making final preparations for their daughter’s funeral. The couple, who moved to Spain after marrying in April, will bury Lucy at a cemetery near their home.

Dozens of friends and relatives will travel from Ireland and Britain to say farewell to Lucy. Lynn’s two children from a previous relationship, a 12-year-old boy and a nine-year-old girl, who were in Ireland on Sunday, are also expected to return to Spain.