A heartbroken mum has paid a moving tribute to her son who died after becoming entangled in a rope swing while playing with friends.
Wicklow boy Riain Brennan-Byrne had been visiting the UK from Ireland during the summer holidays when the tragedy unfolded. An inquest into the incident heard how 10-year-old Riain, who lived in Rathdrum with his dad Derek, had been visiting his mum Niamh in Whitwick, near Coalville, Leicestershire on Sunday, August 7 last year when he entered nearby Holly Hayes Wood to play with friends, reports Leicestershire Live.
While there, the group played with a swing made from a blue cord wrapped around the branches of a tree. However, Riain became tangled in the rope and was discovered hanging by his friends who immediately ran for help. Despite resuscitation attempts, the youngster died in hospital an hour later.
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The inquest, held at Leicester Town Hall on Wednesday (February 8), heard how Riain was discovered at around 7pm on the night of the incident and that after being brought down by his friends’ parents, CPR was performed by a number of people. Paramedics from East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) were also called to the scene and found that Riain had suffered a compression to the neck and was unresponsive.
He was taken by ambulance to the Leicester Royal Infirmary but was pronounced dead at 8.06pm. Mum Niamh, who attended the hearing along with partner Bryan Jay, paid a moving tribute to her son.
She said: “I am here with a broken heart. The loss of my son is nothing I could have prepared for. He was always my king and was loved by his brothers and step-sister. They miss him so much.
“He has left a huge void in our lives. He will always be with us and I will always be his mother.”
Coroner Ivan Cartwright found Riain had displayed no intent to harm himself and ultimately cause his death. He ruled that the youngster had died of a ligature around the neck which had caused a neck compression.
Ruling the death an accident, he called it a tragic incident. He said: “These were the kind of swings many of us will have played with as children I am sure. The only conclusion I can find is accidental death. This was a tragic accident.
“I pass on my very, very sincere condolences to you all. I am so sorry for your loss.”
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