Toddler killed by car outside Brighouse park 'thought she was playing a game'

Dec 4 2009 by Anne-Marie Senior, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Livvy and Olivia Feasey

A TODDLER beamed a playful smile at her father just seconds before she ran into path of a passing car, an inquest heard.

But her dad’s brave efforts could not save two-year-old Olivia Feasey from being run over as the pair were hit by a VW Passat travelling on Bradford Road at Brighouse.

The tragedy happened outside Wellholme Park on April 26 this year.

Little Livvy, of Bailiff Bridge, had been sitting on a wall in the sunshine enjoying an ice lolly after a family park outing.

Her parents thought she was safe as they loaded their parked car on Bradford Road with their four-month-old baby, Addison, and the family’s labrador, Tyler.

But seconds later dad Mark Feasey heard his wife, Hayley, shout: “Olivia, come back!”

He looked up to see his daughter in front of the family’s Toyota Rav 4, about to step onto the road.

The court heard how Mr Feasey made a desperate dash to pull his daughter to safety.

But the pair were both hit by a Passat travelling along the road towards Brighouse.

Mr Feasey suffered a fractured skull, severe whiplash and cuts and bruises.

Eyewitness Wayne Exley told the court how he saw him being tossed into the air after hitting the car bonnet and windscreen.

Although recovered, he and Mrs Feasey were too distressed to appear at the inquest at Halifax Coroner’s Court yesterday.

In a statement read out, Mr Feasey said: “I started to move towards her as fast as I could. She looked up and smiled and then ran into the road.

“I have no idea why she ran. Whether she thought it was a game and I was chasing her or she wanted to get into her side of the car.

“I have no idea if I got to her or not.

“I remember something there and knew I was going to be hit. I felt the impact of the car and was thrown into the air.

“I remember going on the bonnet but I don’t know if I had hold of Olivia. I don’t remember much after that.”

Olivia was still breathing at the crash scene but was dead on arrival at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary’s accident and emergency department.

A post mortem report by paediatric consultant Dr Philip Barton found she suffered serious head injuries after being run over from which she could never have been saved.