Boy died in shower hose tragedy

The death of an 11-year-old boy who was killed after wrapping a rubber shower hose around his neck was a tragic accident, an inquest has heard.

Scott Williams died as he took a bath at his home in Bishop's Cleeve, near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, on 20 October 2003.

The inquest heard he had been happy and content before getting into the bath.

But soon afterwards, his parents found him naked and not breathing with the shower cord tangled around his neck.

Cheltenham District Coroner Lester Maddrell, sitting at Cirencester Magistrates' Court, heard Joyce and Richard Williams made the devastating discovery after shouting Scott and getting no answer.

Brain dead

They knocked at the bathroom door, but again got no response, until Mr Williams finally kicked it down to find his son lying unconscious in the bath.

Mr Williams said: "I picked him up and undid the hose. It was not tied or knotted but was tight around his neck. We carried him downstairs and Joy dialled 999."

Mr Williams tried to revive his son until the ambulance arrived and Scott was rushed to Cheltenham General Hospital.

Scott's heart was beating and he had a weak pulse on arrival at hospital but a scan later showed he was brain dead.

He was pronounced dead the morning after the accident by doctors.

A police investigation, which found that Scott had completed his maths homework for the following day, concluded there were no suspicious circumstances and that the incident had been a "complete shock" to his family.

A post-mortem examination concluded he died of cerebral hypoxia - his brain had been starved of oxygen which in turn led to his heart stopping.

'Happy lad'

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Maddrell said: "It is apparent to me that this was a happy and entirely normal lad that, for a reason that isn't clear, wrapped this rubber hose around his neck, the other part being attached to the taps.

"What he cannot have known is that without any warning at all unconsciousness happens. The person concerned cannot do anything to retrieve the situation."

After the hearing, Scott's uncle, Dr Paul Williams, paid tribute to his nephew.

He said: "Scott was a lovely boy. Full of energy, playful, extremely creative, and always acting out imaginary scenes and singing his favourite tunes.

"His tragic passing has been a terrible and horrific period for all of us, our family, friends, his school, and all those who knew and loved him. We will miss him and his happy face more than we can say."