Girl Died From BBQ Fumes

Hampshire Police are today warning members of the public about the dangers of taking a barbecue into a tent or confined space following the death of a six-year-old girl at a campsite in the New Forest.

During the early hours of April 6, 2012, officers were called to the site at Holmsley where paramedics were treating Isabelle Harris. The little girl was taken to Southampton General Hospital by ambulance and pronounced dead a short timelater.
 
Today, at an inquest held in Bournemouth, the coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death, after it was found that Isabelle, from Gosport, died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.  
 
Speaking after the inquest, senior investigating officer, Detective Inspector John Geden, said: “This is an extremely tragic case in which a six-year-old child lost her life during a family camping trip. The cause of her death has been determined as carbon monoxide poisoning through the inhalation of fumes from burning charcoal, emittedby the family’s barbecue.
 
“Isabelle was very much adored and cared for, and her loss is devastating to her parents and wider family.
 
“As we have heard today, Isabelle succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning after a coal briquette-fuelled barbecue was brought inside the family tent to keep her warm on a very cold night.
 
“Tragically, many are not aware of the significant risk from carbon monoxide this poses, and our message to all is a very simple one:  please do not take barbecues indoors at all. If we can stop one more family from having to go through this terrible experience, then Isabelle’s death will not have been in vain.”