AN 11-YEAR-OLD girl died after a hidden branch pierced her heart while she was playing with her friends at a popular UK beauty spot.
Lilly Angel Rodgers was sliding down a muddy bank when a hidden pointy branch or root punched her in the ribs and severed her pulmonary artery.
She had been a fit, healthy and very active young girl, an inquest heard today.
Lilly, from Newton Abbot in Truro loved surfing, climbing and and had played on the mud flats at Wacker Quay near Plymouth many times before.
She was with two other children on a bank in a channel of the River Lynher about 50 metres from the shore, on August 16 2025, Cornwall Live reports.
The mum of the two other youngsters said she called the group back so they would be in their eye-line while she and her partner set up a barbecue.
She added that they were all rolling around in the mud “crawling commando-style”.
The children then started sliding head first down the mud bank as star fish the mum-of-two said.
Suddenly Lilly stood up, gasped and flopped down into the mud on her front.
When the other children stared screaming the adults realised something was wrong and the emergency services were called.
An unconscious Lilly was airlifted off the mud flats and it took 40 minutes for her to reach dry land.
She was rushed to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth but tragically declared deceased.
James Garvican, consultant pathologist at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro told the inquest Lilly had a chest wound that was 7cm deep.
He said he was surprised by the cut at the top of the girl’s ribcage and declared her cause of death as “penetrating chest trauma”.
Dr Garvican added it was likely caused by a branch or pointy root hidden in the mud which severed her pulmonary artery.
He said: “It’s extremely bad luck. Half an inch to the right and it would just have glanced off her ribcage and left a bruise and a scratch.
“Half an inch to the left and it may still have gone in but it would not have damaged vital organs. This was not a survivable injury.”
Andrew Cox, senior coroner for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said Lilly’s death was caused by whatever she fell on.
He continued: “There was nothing suspicious. In the circumstances it was the most truly, desperately and unlikely accident. Lilly slid on a branch with a sharp point that had been covered by the mud.
“Lilly and her friends had played many times before in that location. She was being watched over by adults who had made sure she stayed within their line of sight.
“There has been no previous incident of that nature at this site for 40 years. This is by any measure a desperately unfortunate sequence of events.”
Mr Cox concluded an accidental death.
Heartbreaking tributes poured in for the schoolgirl after her death last year.
A launched by a close family friend said: “Nick and Vanya [Lilly’s parents] are now in the most heart breaking situation.
“As, many of you now know, their beautiful daughter has lost her life. In the most tragic and unexpected of circumstances.
“Nick is such a positive, kind being. It would be so great if we could all come together and support him and the family.
“Any help would be appreciated. Just to help them navigate their way through, their loss. Much love to you.”
