Sledding death was accidental, jury finds

A TEENAGE girl was killed instantly when a makeshift sleigh travelling at almost 60km/h down a steep slope collided with a tree following heavy snowfall last winter.

A day of fun in the snow turned to tragedy when Aoife Downey, 15, from The Maples, Frankfield, Douglas, Cork suffered severe head injuries when the sleigh spun out of control and hit a cluster of pine trees at Frankfield Golf Course.

Aoife’s parents, Sean and Siobhán Downey, issued an emotional tribute to their “beautiful, fun-loving, happy” daughter at an inquest into her death yesterday at Cork City Coroner’s Court.

“Aoife left that day to have fun in the snow and we want to make clear we hold no one responsible.

“Since that day we continue to relive the horror asking 1,000 what ifs and why Aoife?” Ms Downey said.

Aoife was riding the makeshift sleigh with four others at 2pm on December 18, 2010, when the accident took place. She had gathered with friends at the steep sloping incline to sled down the hill on an auctioneers’ sign, despite efforts by staff to block entrances to the golf course. Up to 100 others were sliding on the slopes nearby.

Her best friend and Douglas Camogie Club teammate, Chelsea Noonan, told the inquest how the sleigh had gathered speed as it careered downhill, with the five teenage friends on board.

“It started going faster and faster. Conor (Kelly), who was on the back, fell off and I heard Aoife say ‘Oh shit, I am on the back’,” Chelsea said.

Nathan O’Callaghan, who was riding up front before the sign spun around, recalled hearing a thump on impact.

“The sign picked up speed,” he said.

“Conor, who was at the back fell off and we were still going fast. I was getting worried. I could just see the tree. I remember hitting it with a big thump.”

Consultant engineer Kieran Spitere calculated a drop of 30m from the top of the hill to the cluster of trees at the bottom of the golf course. He told the inquest the group were in motion for 17 seconds before the impact occurred, in depths of up to 100mm of snow. He compared the collision to a car crash and said the teens were completely vulnerable.

He calculated the weight borne by the sleigh to be 300kg and said the load, coupled with gravity, allowed the sleigh to gain dangerous momentum.

“There was significant speed involved. The accident was akin to a car crash but on this occasion those on the sledge were particularly vulnerable as they would not have the benefit of safety equipment,” he said.

“I never had to deal with something like this because it is very rare in this country to have weather like we had. It was an unusual event and the young people involved were in no way engaging in a deliberate dangerous action.”

Qualified nurse Derek O’Connell was 6m away when the impact occurred. He found no pulse and conducted CPR until emergency services arrived.

Aoife sustained a fatal fracture to the base of her skull when she collided with a tree and was killed instantly.

The cause of death was brain swelling and bleeding on the brain due to blunt force trauma, Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster told the inquest.

“A ring fracture implies very significant force and is incompatible with life,” she said. “When she hit the tree, that was it. She didn’t know anything after that.”

Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane described the events as unbearably tragic.

“One can only hope she wasn’t aware of the imminent danger and did not suffer,” Dr Culllinane said.

Siobhán Downey thanked the local community, the emergency services and gardaí for their ongoing support and said the family would be forever grateful for Aoife.

“We were incredibly privileged to have such a wonderful daughter.

“In her short life she touched so many people and brought so much joy and happiness into our lives. For this we will forever be grateful,” she said.

The jury returned a verdict of accidental death.