Toddler died after becoming trapped in her grandparent’s reclining chair, inquest finds

An electrically adjusted reclining armchair (Shutterstock / Mark Anthony Ray)
An electrically adjusted reclining armchair (Shutterstock / Mark Anthony Ray)

A two-year-old died at home by being ‘trapped or pined’ in a reclining armchair in a tragic accident, a coroner has ruled.

Emaan Raza was found unresponsive at her grandparent’s home address in Tawney Street, Oxford at around noon on May 19.

The toddler had been discovered unresponsive behind an electrically adjusted reclining armchair, which was against a wall in the sitting room.

She was taken by ambulance to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Headington but was pronounced dead at about 2pm.An inquest held at Oxford Coroner’s Court on June 19 heard that her medical cause of death was provided as ‘features in keeping with crush asphyxia’.

Body cameras will be woJohn Radcliffe Hospital, in Oxford (Steve Parsons/PA)
Body cameras will be woJohn Radcliffe Hospital, in Oxford (Steve Parsons/PA)

Senior coroner Darren Salter told the inquest that the baby’s injuries were ‘non-specific’ but caused by being ‘trapped or pinned’ in an enclosed space.

He said: “It is unclear if the injuries were caused when she was within or under the mechanism of the chair or between the chair and the wall.”

Mr Salter ruled her death as an accident.