A seven-year-old girl caught her coat in the door of a school bus and was knocked over, fracturing her skull when the vehicle pulled off, an inquest at Dublin City Coroner's Court heard yesterday.
Jodie Melissa Smyth, of Meadow Way, Clonsilla, was being dropped off outside her grandparents' house at Dunsink Drive, south Finglas, on February 23rd, 2000, when the accident happened.
She was pronounced dead at Temple Street Children's Hospital and a post-mortem examination showed she died instantly of a severe head injury.
The bus driver, Mr Damian Byrne, said he picked up 15 children at St Brigid's National School, Old Finglas Road, and followed his usual route in dropping them off. He said Jodie's grandfather or another relative was usually at Dunsink Drive to help her across the road.
On the day of the accident, she opened the door, got out and stepped on to the path. He said he checked his mirrors and was happy she was away from the bus. As he pulled out he felt a slight bump and on checking in his mirrors saw a child on the ground. He did not see her coat in the door, Mr Byrne added.
Mr Byrne said he pulled in where it was safe to do so and ran to the scene. He immediately alerted the ambulance service and gardai. He said as Jodie got off the bus she seemed to have her schoolbag over her shoulder and her coat hooked on to it. He said children younger than Jodie were able to get on and off the bus unaided.
The jury returned a verdict of accidental death and added the recommendation that all vehicles carrying minors should be fitted with controlled locking facilities and child locks.
Outside the Coroner's Court, the family's legal representatives said they would be pursuing the matter in the civil courts.