A seven-year-old boy tragically died after being horrifically crushed in a car park following a rugby match.
Alfie Tollett had been watching his bother play in a match at his local club in Plymouth, UK, when the awful incident occurred.
A coroner heard Alfie was putting his shoes back on when he got wedged between two cars.
An opening statement at the beginning of the inquest stated an electric vehicle had been struggling to park and ‘shunted’ another car.
A driver behind the wheel of a Jaguar Land Rover I-PACE was trying to find the reverse but instead accelerated forwards.
Unlike many other cars, the Jaguar was an automatic and has three buttons: drive, neutral and reverse.
The driver accidentally selected the drive button and the subsequent collision at Plymstock Albion Oaks Rugby club saw a car land onto Alfie, causing the fatal crush.
The statement on behalf of the coroner Ian Arrow read: “[Alfie] was stood at the rear of the family car changing his boots for his shoes after watching his brother play rugby.
“A stationary vehicle parked behind the family vehicle was then struck by another electrically propelled vehicle that was attempting to park; this vehicle has shunted forward the parked vehicle and crushed Alfie between the two vehicles.
“Alfie was conveyed to Derriford Hospital, but sadly passed away.”
Alfie’s official cause of death was given at the hearing as blunt force traumatic chest injuries.
Local authorities say Alfie was taken to Derriford Hospital with serious injuries. He was pronounced dead around an hour after the incident.
While a 55-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving, he won’t be charged because ‘he died of natural causes shortly after this incident’.
Police are continuing to appeal to any witnesses who may have information on the tragedy to come forward immediately.
The coroner has stated design choices made by Jaguar could prevent similar disasters happening in the future.
