Baby dies in drunk father's arms

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A baby girl who died when her drunken father cradled her to sleep had two days earlier survived being knocked out of her buggy by a car.

Two-week-old Ellie Walls became trapped between her father's body and the arm of a chair at the family home in Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne and Wear.

Her father, Terry Riley, had drunk 15 pints of lager on the day in July 2005 and fell asleep in a chair with her.

A coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death aggravated by neglect.

An inquest in Sunderland heard how on the day of her death Ellie and her 17-month-old sister Shay were dropped off at their grandparents by their mother, Melanie Walls, who joined Mr Riley in the pub.

Ms Walls said she had drunk about 10 halves of lager, before the children and their parents returned to the family's former home in Kirkstone Close.

In my view there was a gross failure to provide her with a safe environment Sunderland Coroner Derek Winter

Ellie began crying and both parents said they could remember Mr Riley picking her out of the crib and sitting with her in the chair, where the father and daughter fell asleep.

The next morning, Miss Walls awoke to find Mr Riley asleep in the chair and Ellie trapped face down between his leg and the arm of the chair.

Resuscitation was attempted, but she was later pronounced dead at Sunderland Royal Hospital.

Sunderland Coroner Derek Winter said: "Ellie was in a vulnerable position. She was entirely dependant on the adults in her life.

"In my view there was a gross failure to provide her with a safe environment.

"That failure was substantial and in my view has contributed to her death."

The inquest also heard that two days earlier Ellie escaped uninjured when a car mounted the pavement, struck her buggy and flung her to the ground.

A spokeswoman for Northumbria Police said an investigation had been carried out into Ellie's death, but no criminal action would be taken.