AN inquest has heard how an 11-year-old schoolgirl died on the A31 shortly before Christmas in 2014 after she was thrown from her mother’s car in a crash near the Coxbridge roundabout on the outskirts of Farnham.
Pravini Angel Parathisan, a pupil at Bentley Primary School, died on December 8, 2014, after the silver Volkswagen Polo she was travelling in hit the central reservation of the westbound carriageway of the A31 between Bentley and Farnham.
Police and ambulance crews rushed to the scene of the crash shortly after 7.30pm, but they were unable to save Pravini who was declared dead at the scene.
Woking Coroner’s Court heard on April 26 that the schoolgirl was travelling with her mother Prada and then two-year-old brother Harrison at the time of the crash – both of whom survived.
Mum Prada told the court she has no memory of the crash, but coroner Simon Wickens pointed to evidence that she lost control of the car after running onto a grass verge alongside the A31.
The vehicle subsequently hit the central reservation and, according to Mr Wickens, became airborne “on at least three occasions” before hitting a tree off the eastbound carriageway.
During this “violent” incident, the coroner added Pravini was thrown from the car and hit by several other vehicles.
A post-mortem revealed that she died of multiple injuries, but pathologist Dr Ashley Fegen-Earl said her death would have been “rapid and without suffering”.
A vehicle examination report presented to the inquest suggested both Pravini and her mother were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. But Mr Wickens said he could not be certain the schoolgirl would have survived in any case due to the severity of the crash.
The court also heard that Prada was in the process of breaking up with Pravini’s father at the time of the fatal crash and had expressed suicidal thoughts.
But Mr Wickens concluded that Pravini’s death was a consequence of a road-traffic collision, and added: “There is no evidence to suggest this was a deliberate act.”
He continued: “Whether it was to divert something in the road or whether it was a momentary lapse, we cannot know as Prada has no memory of the accident.”
Speaking in the immediate aftermath of the crash, Bentley Primary School headteacher Katy Pinchess expressed her deep sadness at Pravini’s untimely death.
She said: “Staff, governors and parents were shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the tragic loss of one our pupils earlier this week. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this difficult time.
“With the help of the county council, we are doing all we can to support pupils, parents and staff and arrange access to counselling for those who may need it.”
Pravini’s mother was taken to St George’s Hospital in Tooting with non-life-threatening injuries following the crash, while her brother Harrison suffered minor injuries.
Police officers who attended the scene of the crash were also offered welfare support in the wake of the distressing incident.