Boy, 4, killed in freak accident after crashing into fence post while riding his new motorbike for the first time
A LITTLE boy was killed in a freak accident while riding his new mini-motorbike for the first time, an inquest heard.
Jacob Gamlin-Turner, four, crashed into a metal fence post on his first spin on his children’s motorcycle in Blackwood, South Wales.
Sports-mad Jacob wanted to do motocross after watching his older brother take part in the sport.
The inquest heard Jacob was wearing an orange and white motocross kit along with full protective gear when he got on the bike.
His dad Ross Turner took Jacob to the Britannia Sports Field in Blackwood, South Wales, so he could try out his latest bike for the first time.
Senior coroner Caroline Saunders said: “Ross considered that this would be a safe location for Jacob to have his first ride on his new motorbike.”
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The inquest heard Ross had gone to the field with a friend and Jacob’s grandfather – and had enjoyed trying out other mini-motorbikes before getting his own.
The three adults “stood in a triangle” while Jacob rode from one to the other on his bike.
But the hearing was told Jacob “appeared to hit a bump” when he veered off and hit the fence post on May 4 last year.
The inquest heard he “applied the throttle in an uncontrolled manner” before throwing himself from the bike and hitting the fence.
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Dad Ross ran towards his son to desperately try to stop the collision before he found Jacob unresponsive on the floor.
The inquest heard he carried out CPR while paramedics rushed to the scene and managed to revive Jacob.
He was rushed to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff with “unsurvivable” head injuries, internal bleeding, rib fractures and spine dislocation.
His devastated family were by his side at the neighbouring Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital when his ventilator was stopped at 12.40am on May 5 last year.
Collision investigators found the motorbike was in “good working order and was appropriate for his age.”
Coroner Ms Saunders said: “Jacob was a four-year-old little boy who from the day he was born had a love of sports and the outdoors.
“His passion was his motorbike and he had a flare for riding.”
The inquest in Newport, Gwent, heard his medical cause of death was given as traumatic brain injury.
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Ms Saunders said: “Jacob Gamlin-Turner died on May 5, 2021, at the University Hospital of Wales from fatal head injuries sustained the previous day when the children’s motorbike he was riding collided with a metal post.”
The coroner recorded a conclusion of accidental death.