Sunderland Toddler Dies In Blind Chord Tragedy

28 April 2014, 17:57 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

A toddler from Sunderland has died after becoming tangled up in a window blind cord during a game of hide and seek.

Two-year-old Sophie Allen was discovered hanging behind a curtain by her mother Danielle Hudson in their home.

Despite desperate efforts to revive her daughter, Sophie died in hospital almost a week later having been placed in an induced coma.

Miss Hudson said she initially became aware something was wrong when her four-year-old son came and told her that Sophie was stuck.

She was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital and then onto Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary before dying on Saturday.

The 28 year old said:
"I walked over to the window and saw a shadow behind the curtain. I pulled it open and she was hanging with the cord around her neck.

I lifted her up and she made a little gasp. I carried her downstairs and her dad Peter was trying to do CPR, while I called for an ambulance.''

She also warned other parents to tie blind cords out of the way and make sure they were out of reach from children. Northumbria Police confirmed there was no third party involvement and said a report had been prepared for the coroner.

A police spokesman said:
"At 9.15am on Monday, April 21, police were informed a child had been injured at an address in Ramilies Road in Sunderland.

The child was taken to hospital where she subsequently died. There is no third party involvement and a report has been prepared for the coroner.''