Tragic Car Accident in Clacton Claims Life of Six-Month-Old Boy
A heartbreaking traffic accident in Clacton, Essex, UK, claimed the life of a six-month-old boy who was thrown from a car and died due to severe head injuries.
According to court records, on July 13, 2022, Morgan Kiely, then 19, along with her close friend Stevie Steel and her son Harry, went to Clacton beach for a day out. On their way, the two women purchased three bottles of Prosecco at an Aldi supermarket. They spent several hours on the beach, drinking and joined by a male friend. After finishing one bottle of wine, the group decided to leave.
Around 6:30 PM that day, Kiely and Steel left the beach in a Ford Focus, with Steel driving. Harry was placed in the back seat behind his mother.
However, while driving on Cherry Tree Avenue in Clacton, Steel lost focus and crashed into a parked car. The violent impact caused the Ford Focus to flip and roll multiple times before landing upside down, leaving the two women suspended by their seatbelts.
Tragically, Harry’s car seat was not properly secured with a seatbelt, and the baby himself was not strapped into the seat. The car’s window was open at the time.
Prosecutor Alex Stein stated: “The child was thrown out of the car through the window and landed on the road, with nothing to break his fall. He suffered severe brain injuries and could not be saved. This is an utterly heartbreaking case.”
Passersby, including a retired pediatric nurse, rushed to help. Harry received emergency treatment at the scene for over an hour before being transported to a hospital. Sadly, he passed away around 9:00 PM that evening.
Stevie Steel, the driver, admitted to causing death by careless driving while over the legal alcohol limit. Meanwhile, Morgan Kiely denied manslaughter charges, with prosecutors alleging she failed to ensure her son’s safety during the journey.
Prosecutor Stein emphasized: “There is no evidence to suggest Kiely did not love or care for her son. However, the direct cause of Harry’s death was that he was not properly secured in the vehicle.”
The trial of Morgan Kiely is ongoing.
