Doncaster girl Nyla Bradshaw, 7, found in golf pond escaped from childminder through gap in fence
Doncaster seven-year-old Nyla May Bradshaw was found unresponsive in a pond after she ran away from her childminder and “through a gap in a fence,” an inquest heard.
Autistic, non-verbal Nyla died on March 30 after being reported missing from the Skellow area ahead of the tragedy at Owston Golf Course.
Coroner's officer Jane McDonnell told an inquest opening in the city on Thursday (April 10) that Nyla was "a non-verbal, seven-year-old girl who had been diagnosed with autism".
Ms McDonnell said Nyla was being looked after by a childminder and "during the course of the day she was taken out to a park in the Owston area of Doncaster".
"During the course of the excursion she passed through a gap in the fence and approached woodland close to Owston Golf Course,” said the officer.
A search began after the childminder raised the alarm with police and Nyla's family.
But Nyla was found unresponsive and face down in a pond on the golf course, the officer told Doncaster's senior coroner Nicola Mundy.
She was taken to hospital but could be resuscitated, the court heard.
A provisional inquest date is fixed or December 8. No cause of death was given during the five-minute hearing.
No members of Nyla's family were at the hearing.
After her death, children's autism charity Little Rainbows Doncaster said: "Nyla was a beautiful, deeply loved seven-year-old girl who brought so much light to those around her.
"She was autistic and non-verbal, yet her presence spoke volumes - she touched more lives than words could ever express. A beautiful little girl who loved Christmas especially.
"Our entire community is heartbroken, and our thoughts are firmly with her family as they face this unimaginable loss."
The charity added: "For many of us as parents of autistic children, this is the fear we carry every single day - and today, that fear has become a reality for one of our own."
Little Rainbows Doncaster later issued a statement saying Nyla's death highlighted "the systemic issues that may have contributed to the circumstances in which this incident occurred" and "raises serious concerns about the adequacy, continuity and safety of care provision for disabled children outside of school settings".
It added: "That must never happen to another family again."
The charity said Nyla had complex needs and attended a specialist school where she required one-to-one supervision at all times.
Big-hearted locals rallied behind her grieving parents Hayley Beardsley and Kieran Bradshaw, with a GoFundMe page – which you can donate to here – https://shorturl.at/tSeld – raising over £20,000 since its launch.
South Yorkshire Police described the extensive search operation mounted to find Nyla, which included drones and a helicopter.
A multi-agency probe, including the coroner, the City of Doncaster Council and OFSTED, has been launched over Nyla’s death. South Yorkshire Police ruled there are no suspicious circumstances.