A grieving dad has issued a warning to other parents after his “fun and active” son died following an accident when he became trapped in a dressing gown cord he used to ‘abseil’ down the stairs at home.
Logan Davis, 12, from Lancashire was found by his older brother wrapped in the cord on September 18 last year while his dad Martin Davis and step-mum were out.
The young boy, who went to Our Lady Queen of Peace school in Skelmersdale, was without oxygen for around half an hour and after being taken to hospital he was diagnosed with a severe hypoxic brain injury and he died four days later, LancashireLive reports.
An inquest at Preston Coroner’s Court on Thursday (February 17) heard that Logan’s dad had removed the dressing gown cord after finding his children playing with it but they had replaced it.
Mr Davis said: “They had tied the dressing gown cord on the halfway landing and they used to play with it as if they were abseiling and swinging on it.”
After the inquest Logan’s dad and step-mum urged parents to keep an eye on their children and to be aware that accidents can happen when they are least expected.
In a statement to the coroner Mr Davis said Logan loved climbing trees and riding his bike. Although he had some learning difficulties and had struggled to learn to read he was happy and healthy and loved his family.
The inquest heard that on Saturday, September 18, 2021 Mr Davis and his partner Joanne were out buying toys for their children when they got a text from Logan’s older brother.
The couple went home and Logan was taken to Ormskirk General Hospital before being transferred to Alder Hey in Liverpool. He died on September 22 at 1.39pm.
The inquest heard that his parents, as well as the coroner, had given permission for his organs to be donated to help other children.
Although the coroner considered whether or not it was possible that Logan had intended to harm himself there was no evidence of this and his death was deemed an accident.
Joanna Birch, a specialist nurse who looks into any sudden or unexplained deaths in children, said that although life had “changed at home after Logan’s mum had moved some distance away”, there was no indication or reason why Logan would have ended his life.
A police investigation echoed those conclusions and found that Logan’s much older brother who was in charge of the children while their parents were away was mature and a “really nice lad”.
Neighbors confirmed the children were well looked after and social services had no concerns or involvement with the family.
Giving evidence to the inquest Mr Davis said Logan was “a typical lad”.
When asked what Logan’s older brother thought had happened to him Mr Davis said: “He said he thinks he was climbing it and it has gone wrong. He was excited we were going to come back and bring toys for him.”
Concluding Logan’s death was accidental the coroner said: “Logan was 12-years-old, he was a boy’s boy, always out playing, climbing trees and on his bike and had a good group of friends and was doing really well at school.
“He was obviously very close to his family and well cared for. It is more likely than not that this was an accident.”
