September 24, 2021 10.57 am This story is over 29 months old

Inquest opens for tragic toddler killed in Ingoldmells caravan fire

Louisiana Brooke died after ‘breathing in toxic fumes’

Police investigations are continuing into the death of a toddler who lost her life when fire swept through her family’s holiday caravan, an inquest heard today.

Two-year-old Louisiana Brooke Dolan was on holiday at the Sealands Caravan Park in Ingoldmells, with her mum Natasha and her three siblings, when fire broke out on the night of Monday, August 23.

Louisiana Brooke died in the fire but her mum and the other children were able to escape.

An inquest opening at Lincoln Coroner’s Court was told this morning a post mortem examination carried out by pathologist Dr Michael Biggs at Leicester Royal Infirmary gave a provisional cause of death for the toddler as ‘inhalation of products of combustion’.

Coroner’s officer Jacqui Foxlow told the hearing Louisiana Brooke, from Parker Street, Newark, was identified from DNA samples. She said tests to confirm the cause of death were expected to take eight to ten weeks.

She said: “Police inquiries are ongoing on behalf of Her Majesty’s Coroner. Reports will be received from the GP, East Midlands Ambulance Service and Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue.”

Assistant Coroner for Lincolnshire Paul Cooper adjourned the inquest for a full hearing at a later date.

He said: “The inquest will be adjourned to some future date to allow inquiries to be concluded.”

No family members were present at today’s inquest opening which lasted just two minutes. At the time of the fire Louisiana Brooke’s grandmother Donna Broadley posted of the family’s devastation on Facebook writing: “Our hearts are broken as ‘wee wee’ was our baby of our family.

“Tash gave her everything. She was her right leg.

“Our hearts are broken.

“We as a family will be here for Tash and my grandchildren.”

Almost £20,000 has been raised for the family with more than 750 people donating to a GoFundMe account set up by family friend Laurie Selfridge.

The funeral for Louisiana Brooke is to take place at St Mary Magdalene Church in Newark on Monday.