A coroner has issued a warning after an ‘adored’ two-year-old girl drowned in a slow-moving river while her father moved cattle.
Eva-Rose Wainwright was found face down on farmland in Lifton, Devon, on June 16, 2023.
Exeter Coroner’s Court heard the toddler had been out with her father Charles Wainright, a sheep farmer, when he left her playing with a family dog beside a shallow river.
He returned between 15 and 20 minutes later to find her in the slow-moving water.
Eva-Rose was later pronounced dead at the scene after Mr Wainwright and paramedics were unable to resuscitate her.
Alison Longhorn, area coroner for Devon, reached a conclusion of accidental death following an inquest at Devon County Hall on Tuesday afternoon.
The coroner said Eva-Rose had attended the property in Lifton, Devon, where her father tended to livestock on the afternoon of June 16.
‘While he did so, on this occasion, he left Eva-Rose playing at the river in company with a family dog,’ Ms Longhorn said.
Eva-Rose Wainwright (pictured) was found face down on farmland in Lifton, Devon, on June 16, 2023
In a tribute published after her death, Eva-Rose’s family described her as ‘adored daughter of Charlie and Kyra-Jo, a loving sister, granddaughter and niece’
‘I heard she was left for approximately 15 to 20 minutes and when her father returned, he found her face down in the slow-moving water, unresponsive.
‘Sadly, despite the efforts of attending paramedics, she could not be resuscitated.’
The coroner recorded Eva-Rose’s cause of death as drowning.
She said: ‘This is a truly tragic death of a little girl and I can’t begin to imagine how difficult it must have been for her parents.
‘This case really demonstrates the dangers that even very shallow water can present to children when they are left unsupervised either in or near shallow water.
‘I can only express my condolences to Eva-Rose’s family.’
In a tribute published after her death, Eva-Rose’s family described her as ‘adored daughter of Charlie and Kyra-Jo, a loving sister, granddaughter and niece’.
It said: ‘She will be sadly missed by all her family and friends.’
