A four-year-old boy died as a result of an accident after losing control of his seven-year-old cousin's mini motorbike and crashing into a metal pole.
Lennox Railton-Craggs jumped on the front of the new bike and pulled a lever causing it to accelerate. An inquest into his death heard how he started to come off the vehicle and hit a pole in the ground near his home in Bishop Auckland, County Durham.
The hearing, sitting at Durham and Darlington Coroner's Court, heard how his father chased after the children's motorbike, picked Lennox up and took him to his home on Elliott Terrace. However his cries for his mother turned to moans and he collapsed.
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The inquest, at the Civic Centre in Crook, County Durham, heard how his family gave him CPR until paramedics attended the scene. Lennox was rushed to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle where he sadly passed away on January 23 this year.
Detective Inspector Leanne Green, from Durham Constabulary, told the court how she had investigated Lennox's death. She said: "Lennox is described as a little boy who loved motorbikes and quad bikes and had been riding quad bikes with family safely the day before."
Det Insp Green said Lennox returned home from his grandmother's home and saw another youngster learning to ride her new Yamaha mini motorbike. She told the inquest: "It just looks like a mini motorbike but it's made for children so it's quite small. Her father was supervising her, she was learning how to ride the bike."
She said: "Both parents and [the other youngster] describes him as being very excited to see the motorbike and initially asking if he could have a go on it. Mum and dad describe telling Lennox he would have to wait - he could go on but he would have to wear his PPE dropped off in the kitchen by grandma."
The hearing heard how Lennox's mum Rachel Craggs was packing dummies for his younger siblings as they were going to their grandmother's house for Sunday lunch.
Det Insp Green said the other youngster recalled that he could have a ride and that he could go on the back of her bike. She said the youngster remembered Lennox getting on to the bike and telling him that he had to get on the back so she could control the revs. However he managed to get on the front of the bike.
She told the inquest Lennox was four and while the other youngster was older, "he was described as being very much stronger than [the other youngster]."
Det Insp Green said his mother, who had been in the kitchen, saw that Lennox had jumped on the front of the bike. She said: "Rachel shouted at Lennox to get off the motorbike and that he shouldn't be on it, but he's pulled the lever to get it to go faster and the bike has taken off. [The other youngster] states in her account she's been shouting for her mum and Rachel states she's also shouted out."
The inquest heard how Lennox's dad Michael Railton-Thexton had already began to run after the bike but the grass was slippery, which made it hard to run. The mini motorbike went onto a path, Lennox started to come off the bike and was thrown up against the metal post.
Det Insp Green said Lennox, who was crying and shouting for his mother, was picked up and taken back to his home. She said his cries turned to a moaning sound and he changed colour. DI Green said: "As he put Lennox down his legs were giving way and he's became unresponsive."
The hearing was told how an ambulance arrived followed by the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) and Rachel went with Lennox in the ambulance to the RVI. Lennox was in cardiac arrest when he arrived at the hospital.
Medical professionals found he had a tear in his liver. They attempted to save his life but soon realised there was nothing more they could do and he sadly passed away.
Assistant Coroner Dr Leslie Hamilton told Lennox's family, who were present at the hearing, how he had a background in medicine. He reassured them that any attempts at CPR by them would not have contributed to his condition.
Pathologist Dr Nigel Cooper carried out a post mortem examination at the hospital on January 28 and told the coroner's court that Lennox had died from a haemorrhage due to intra-abdominal injuries.
Assistant Coroner Dr Hamilton concluded that Lennox died as a result of an accident. He said: "Nobody intended it to happen, it was something that happened very quickly and spontaneously and before anybody could prevent it."
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