Tragedy of sleepwalking girl, 4, who accidentally hanged herself from her top bunk with Hello Kitty bag

'Tragic circumstances': Tegan Hancox (pictured) was found hanging from her top bunk with a bag strap around her neck, possibly as a result of sleepwalking, an inquest heard

Hello Friends!

A four-year-old girl who accidentally hanged herself in the night with her Hello Kitty bag had a history of walking in her sleep, an inquest heard.

Tegan Hancox often climbed out of her cabin bed and spoke 'gibberish' without remembering a thing about it the next day.

She was found hanging from the top of her bunk on December 16 with the bag strap wrapped around her neck.

The bag had been on the floor when the youngster went to bed the previous evening.

Tegan’s devastated mum, Becky Hancox, told the hearing in Coventry yesterday there had been four or five episodes of her daughter sleepwalking in the past, a condition she may have inherited from her father.

Miss Hancox, 24, said: 'Other than being possessed, the only thing I can think of is that she was sleep-walking. If she had been playing she would have made a noise.

'She had sleepwalked four or five times. She would just get out of bed normally, come to the top of the stairs and talk gibberish.

'She wasn’t awake and would have no recollection of it in the morning. Her biological dad was bad for sleepwalking.'

The accident happened in the room Tegan shared with her younger sister Tayla, in Westcotes, Tile Hill. Their older sister, Chanelle, slept in another room.

It was nine days before Christmas and nine days after Tegan’s fourth birthday when the tragedy happened.

Consultant paediatrician, Dr Peter Sidebotham, told the inquest that the girls’ stepfather, Stephen Shreenan, 23, had put them to bed at 7.30pm on December 15, and checked on them again half-an-hour later.

He said Becky and Stephen slept downstairs, but at 7am were woken by seven-year-old Chanelle.



Devastated: Tegan's mother, Becky Hancox, pictured with the youngster's sisters Tayla (left) and Chanelle, said her daughter would often talk 'gibberish' while sleepwalking and not remember it in the morning

 
Tragedy: Tegan (left) and (right) in fancy dress, may have inherited her sleepwalking from her biological father

Dr Sidebotham said: 'Chanelle came down to say Tegan was hanging from the bed and that she thought she was dead. They found her hanging from the edge of the bed from the strap of a bag.

'Her feet were only two inches off the floor. Becky lifted her down and started resuscitation, but Tegan appeared very obviously dead. Stephen said the bag had been on the floor the previous night.'
The doctor added: 'There is nothing to suggest it was anything other than a tragic accident.'

A pathologist gave the cause of death as hanging.
Recording a verdict of accidental death, Coventry coroner Sean McGovern told Miss Hancox: 'It seems to me that sleepwalking was possible and would explain what happened, but it’s something we will never know the answer to.

'You have lost a four-year-old in tragic circumstances. Nothing I can say will make it better for you.'

Speaking after the hearing, Miss Hancox said she was campaigning to improve the design of the sew-it-yourself bag and the cabin bed.

 

Wants changes: Miss Hancox (left) says she is campaigning to improve the design of the sew-it-yourself Hello Kitty bag after Tegan was found hanging by the strap of her bag, like the one pictured above.

She said: 'I’ve been speaking to Coventry trading standards about getting some changes made to the design of the bag and the bed.'
Possible changes could include quick-release safety straps on all children’s bags, and cabin beds without side slats.

Tegan’s family and friends are set to take part in two big events this month to buy her a headstone.
They are taking part in the Coventry Walkathon on May 13 and are hosting a fun day at Saracens RFC, in Binley, on May 20.

Tegan is buried at Wolvey Cemetery.
Any cash left over will go to giving the family, who now live in Willenhall, a much-needed holiday.

After Tegan’s death, Becky and Stephen put their wedding on hold, but are now looking forward to tying the knot in August.

Culled from The Daily Mail UK.

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Simply Cheska...