A four-year-old boy dies in a tragic accident while riding his cousin’s mini-motorcycle

An investigation revealed how toddler Lennox Railton-Craggs dismounted from a 50cc Yamaha motorcycle and slammed a stake in the ground near his home in Bishop Auckland, County Durham

A four-year-old boy died in a tragic accident while riding his cousin’s mini-motorcycle after losing control and crashing into a metal pole.

The Durham and Darlington Coroner’s Court heard Lennox Railton-Craggs jump onto the front of a new 50cc Yamaha motorcycle and pull a lever, causing it to accelerate. ChronicleLive reported.

He began to get out of the vehicle and hit a stake in the ground near his home in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, the inquest found.

The hearing, held at Durham and Darlington Coroner’s Court, heard his father chase the child’s motorcycle, collect Lennox and take him to his home on Elliott Terrace.

The inquest at the Civic Center in Crook, County Durham heard his family resuscitate him until paramedics got to the scene.

Lennox was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle where he sadly passed away on January 23rd this year.

Detective Inspector Leanne Green of Durham Constabulary told the court how she investigated Lennox’s death.

She said: “Lennox is described as a young boy who loved motorcycles and quads and had safely been riding quads with the family the day before.”

Det Insp Green said Lennox returned home from his grandmother’s house and saw another youngster learning to ride her new Yamaha mini-motorcycle.

She told the inquest: “It only looks like a mini motorbike but it’s made for kids so it’s quite small. Her father supervised her, she learned how to ride a bike.”

She said: “Both parents and [the other youngster] Describe him as very excited to see the bike and initially asked if he could try it.

“Mum and Dad describe telling Lennox he would have to wait – he could go on but he would have to wear his PPE which Granny left in the kitchen.”

The hearing heard Lennox’s mother Rachel Craggs packing pacifiers for his younger siblings as they went to her grandmother’s house for Sunday lunch.

Det Insp Green said the other boy remembered he could ride along and ride on the back of her bike.

She said the boy remembered Lennox getting on the bike and telling him he had to get on the back so she could control the revs. However, he managed to get on the bike in front.

She told the inquest that Lennox was four years old and while the other youth was older, “he was found to be a lot stronger than described [the other youngster]”.

Det Insp Green said his mother, who had been in the kitchen, saw Lennox jumped onto the front of the bike.

She said: “Rachel yelled at Lennox to get off the bike and that he shouldn’t be on it, but he pulled the lever to make it go faster and the bike took off. [The other youngster] says on her account that she cried for her mom and Rachel says she cried too.”

The inquest learned that Lennox’s father, Michael Railton-Thexton, had already started running after the bike, but the grass was slippery, making it difficult to walk. The mini-motorcycle went down a path, Lennox began to disengage from the bike and was thrown against the metal post.

Det Insp Green said Lennox, who was crying and screaming for his mother, was picked up and taken to his home.

She said his screams turned into moans and he changed color. DI Green said: “When he put Lennox down, his legs gave out and he became unresponsive.”

The hearing was told an ambulance arrived followed by the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) and Rachel drove to the RVI with Lennox in the ambulance. Lennox was in cardiac arrest when he arrived at the hospital.

Doctors found that he had a ruptured liver. They tried to save his life but soon found there was nothing more they could do and unfortunately he died.

Deputy Coroner Dr. Leslie Hamilton told Lennox’s family, who were present at the hearing, how he had a background in medicine. He assured them that their attempts at resuscitation had not contributed to his condition.

The pathologist Dr. Nigel Cooper performed a post-mortem at the hospital on January 28 and told the coroner that Lennox died of bleeding from intra-abdominal injuries.

Deputy Coroner Dr. Hamilton concluded that Lennox died as a result of an accident.

He said: “Nobody intended it to happen, it’s something that happened very quickly and spontaneously and before anyone could stop it.”

Prince Bishops Community Primary School, where Lennox was a student, previously published a moving tribute to Lennox, whom they described as “an amazing friend”.

It said: “Lennox was a delight. He was such a happy boy who always had a smile for staff and other kids. He loved playing with the dinosaurs and in the water, but most of all he loved playing outside.

“He was a great friend and could often be seen holding another child’s hand and getting a tissue to anyone who was upset.

“The news broke our hearts. Lennox will be greatly missed by all of the school’s staff, especially those who have had the privilege of teaching and supporting him.”