Protect children, says Coroner

Days after a South Auckland toddler was run over by his father, Auckland coroner Murray Jamieson has reminded parents of the need for "eternal vigilance" in caring for children.

"Little children need to be looked out for every hour of the day and night," he said.

Dr Jamieson was commenting yesterday at an inquest into the death of a 20-month-old toddler who was run over by her mother during the 2004 Christmas holidays.

Kaylah Maunsell-Clarke was on holiday with family in Oakura, north of Whangarei, when the accident happened.

A police summary of facts said the little girl was on the side of the road with some of her aunties when her mother pulled up in a Nissan Sereno van.

She yelled, "Hello mummy", before moving across the road with the family.

The mother had a short conversation with the adults before hearing the van's side door close. Assuming Kaylah was in the back of the van with the adults she drove off.

"As [she] moved off she felt two short bumps and stopped the van. [Her] first reaction was, where is Kaylah? She looked around and realised her worst fears."

One of Kaylah's aunties climbed out of the van and saw her trapped under it. The aunty directed Kaylah's mother to move the van forward.

She did so before rushing outside to be with her injured daughter.

"Kaylah was lifeless and panic set in."

Kaylah was flown to Whangarei, then Starship Hospital in Auckland with serious head injuries. Her life support was turned off the following day, December 28, 2004, and she died half an hour later.

Police investigating the accident decided not to prosecute the mother, saying the family had suffered enough and would "continue to do so for many years to come."

During the inquest, Kaylah's mother quietly wept into her hands as the events of that day were recalled. Both she and Kaylah's father had tattoos in memory of their daughter.

Mr Jamieson said accidents such as the one that claimed Kaylah's life were a terrible loss.

He offered his sympathy to the family and recognised the inquest, along with the past 15 months, would have been very difficult for Kaylah's family.

The inquest comes just days after 14-month-old Ivan Togafau was run over by his father in their South Auckland driveway on Saturday.

Police are still investigating that case and say it's too early to say if charges will be laid.

Seventy-five children in the Auckland region were run over between January 1998 and October 2001. Six of the children died from their injuries.