A 12-year-old Dublin girl collapsed during a roller-coaster ride at Funderland and died a short time later in hospital despite attempts to revive her, Dublin City Coroner's Court heard yesterday.
A post-mortem report said Ann-Marie Verner, of Grangegorman Villas, Prussia Street, died at St Vincent's hospital on December 27th of aspiration of gastric contents into her lungs.
On the application of her family, the Dublin City Coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, then adjourned the inquest to July 22nd to allow Dr Radhika Ramnath, the pathologist who carried out the autopsy, to give evidence in person.
Mr Patrick Verner said he went to Funderland at the RDS on December 22nd with his wife Anne, twin daughters Ann-Marie and Cora, and son Charles.
The two girls went on the roller-coaster. When the ride ended, Cora ran over to tell him there was something wrong with her sister. He could only watch as Funderland staff and paramedics tried to assist her.
Roller-coaster operator Mr Owen Curry said the girl seemed to have fainted as the ride ended.
He took her from the car and tried to give her first aid. Some St John's Ambulance Brigade personnel then took over. There was nothing wrong with the roller-coaster and it continued to operate during the day.
Ann-Marie was pronounced dead at St Vincent's hospital shortly after she arrived.