Scarborough boy, 4, hanged by hood in freak accident

The family of Maison Hirstle were left devastated after his coat hood caught the handle of the front door of his Pavilion Square home, knocking the youngster unconscious.

Coroner Michael Oakley recorded a verdict of accidental death at the young boy’s inquest yesterday.

Maison’s mother Katrina Glendinning, 37, said: “I am absolutely devastated. We all love and miss him. I’ve got a little shrine up in my house of him and I spend a lot of time at his grave. He was very bubbly and very cheeky but he was the most loveable young boy. He was an amazing little boy and we have so many precious memories we will cherish.”

Barrowcliff pupil Maison was kept off school that day, October 21, by father James because he was feeling poorly.

After spending the morning at James’s partner’s home, Maison returned home at around 1pm. After a period indoors, Maison wanted to play outside with his friend on the street and older brother Preston.

Neighbour Rafal Twardowski returned to his flat with a friend who attempted to open the communal front door of the block of flats to discover it was blocked from the inside.

Mr Twardowski then helped to push the door until he saw Maison hanging from the door handle by his hood.

He told the inquest: “I saw small feet when I stuck my head around. The hood was twisted on the door handle and was tight around his neck with his body elevated above the floor.”

Mr Twardowski laid Maison on the floor and performed CPR in an attempt to revive him after not being able to find a pulse.

Mr Hirstle said: “They had been out about half-an-hour when his brother came upstairs screaming, holding him in his arms. I blame myself every day. There is no one else to blame.”

Paramedic Jason Hedges recalled that he arrived to see Maison on the living room floor after being carried upstairs and confirmed he had suffered a cardiac arrest.

He was taken to Scarborough Hospital where at no point did he regain consciousness.

A post mortem by Dr Annavarapu showed Maison had anaerobic metabolism, which is the creation of energy through the combustion of carbohydrates in the absence of oxygen.

This occurs when your lungs cannot put enough oxygen into the bloodstream to keep up with the demands from your muscles for energy.

This in turn meant Maison developed cerebral hypoxia when the brain is completely deprived of oxygen. The forensic pathologist found that the pressure on Maison’s neck was in line for the cause of death to have been hanging.

Giving a verdict of accidental death, Michael Oakley said: “Clearly this is a case of an extraordinary tragic accident. He was kept off school and it was found that he had an upper respiratory infection.

"In some extraordinary way, he has had his coat trapped in the door leading to the communal part of these flats.

“This has directly led to his death by effectively causing a ligature around his neck.”

Family friend Lianne White told The Scarborough News after Maison’s death: “A freak accident has taken away a very special little boy from our family.

"He has left a massive hole in all of our hearts. It is utterly heartbreaking and nothing will ever replace the life we lost.

"He was cute and always smiling and he will be missed immensely.

“Maison was a happy little boy who did not deserve to be taken away from his family. Maison was a little hero that was too good for this earth.”