A devastated father has told an inquest of the horrific moment he tried to wrench open the family car door as it rolled down a hill with his 17-year-old daughter inside after the handbrake disengaged, before it flipped and crushed her to death.
Learner driver Aaliyah Sedley-Jones, known as Lily, was sat alone in the silver Citroen C4 Picasso on Spring Hill, Weston-super-Mare in January when she decided to start the engine – automatically disengaging the handbrake and locking the doors.
Her heartbroken father Benjamin Jones has described helplessly watching the car roll down the 11.6% gradient hill at at least 6mph – the speed at which the doors of a Citroen C4 automatically lock – crashing into a wall and lamppost, then flipping with her inside and killing her.
An inquest held yesterday heard how Lily had been sitting and waiting in the car for her father and brothers before deciding to get into the driver’s seat for reasons which remain unclear.
Mr Jones told the hearing: ‘I couldn’t hold on to it any longer. I have no idea why Lily got into the driver’s seat and tried to drive the car.’
Aaliyah Sedley-Jones, known as Lily, was sat alone waiting in the family vehicle when ‘for an unknown’ reason she decided to start the engine – disengaging the automatic handbrake – and the car rolled down the hill and flipped, crushing her to death
Lily’s heartbroken father Benjamin Jones said he couldn’t hold on to the car any long as it rolled down the hill, as the coroner was told the doors of a Citroen C4 lock when a speed of 6mph is reached
Desperate rescue efforts from neighbours, family members and paramedics proved unsuccessful and Lily died at the scene shortly before 9pm.
Police told the inquest Lily had not driven the car before and held only a provisional licence, the BBC reported.
No faults were found on the vehicle and coroner Maria Voisin ruled the death an ‘accident’.
The cause of death was given as cerebral injuries.
Paying tribute at the time of her death, Lily’s mother said in a statement: ‘Lily you were taken just as your life was beginning and you were so excited for everything you had to look forward to.
‘You made the most of every single day of your life.
‘You were my best friend, a breath of fresh air and you lit up any and every room you walked into.
Police told the inquest Lily had not driven the car before and held only a provisional licence, before she got into the driver seat and started the engine
An inquest held yesterday heard Lily died in the crash in Spring Hill, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, on 5 January after the locks and handbrakes were triggered automatically
‘You were so scared of losing anyone you loved and the only comfort I have is that at least now you will never have to suffer the pain everyone that knows you is feeling right now.
She continued by saying her daughter was ‘too perfect for this cruel world’ and the time where she could be with her again could not come soon enough.
Her mother added: ‘Your four brothers and all of your family and friends will keep your memory alive as long as we all live.
‘We will never stop talking about you as you were the most caring, considerate, loving, funny, most beautiful girl and the time we had with you we will cherish forever.
‘Taken from us at the worst age of only 17 in a sudden tragic accident that will forever haunt us.
‘We were proud of you every moment of every day and we love you more than you could ever imagine my beautiful Lily.’