UK Paramedic Punched While Trying to Save Child

Heather Moore responded to an emergency call with colleague Sharon Robinson when three-yearold Roma McAleese was hit by a car last year.

Yesterday Coroner John Leckey told Miss Moore: “What happened to you and your colleague was totally unwarranted, quite disgraceful.

“It is unacceptable that the emergency services seem to be attacked almost routinely.

“Instead of expressing gratitude for your arrival, this physical assault happened.”

Little Roma was playing feet from her family home in the Ashdale Park area of Coleraine, Co Derry, when tragedy struck last March.

Nicola Smyth, the driver of the Volkswagen Golf involved in the March 2009 incident, was never charged with any wrongdoing.

Miss Smyth, who was left traumatised by the incident, was excused from attending yesterday’s hearing due to health problems.

Instead the driver described to police what had happened after she left her friend’s house.

Her statement read: “The wee girl just seemed to appear out of nowhere. I slammed on my brakes and got out of the car but the body seemed to be rolling about.”

Senior scientific officer Damien Coll said there was nothing to suggest Miss Smyth was breaking the 30mph limit.

A postal van may have obstructed her view, the expert added.

Roma’s mother Andrea told the court how their lives had been ruined by the loss of her daughter.

Mrs McAleese said: “Our lives have been destroyed without her. She had a big sister who worshipped her. She was me and her daddy’s world.”

She explained she has not heard anything form Nicola Smyth since her daughter died and claimed that Roma was walking across the road in bare feet with her shoes in her hands when she was hit by the Volkswagen Golf.

Mrs McAleese, who cradled her injured daughter in her arms as she clung to life, said: “Roma was not running.”

Paramedics left another emergency to attend to Roma and took six minutes to reach the scene.

They worked on her while on the ground and transported the toddler to the Causeway Hospital Coleraine, where staff continued to try to resuscitate her. She died around three hours later at 9pm.

Mrs McAleese also paid a dignified thank you to the paramedics, neighbours and hospital staff who tried to save Roma and explained the entire family was very grateful for all the efforts made during the worst moment of their life.

She explained how a playhouse is being built at St Malachy’s Nursery named after Roma.

Mrs McAleese added: “The whole community at that time, we would not have gotten through this without the support from the people.”

The coroner ruled Roma died from head, neck and chest injuries sustained when she was knocked down while crossing the road by a car being driven within the speed limit.