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Girl who died in pond 'ran away through fence gap'

Victoria Scheerat Doncaster Coroner's Court
Family handout Nyla is wearing a pink hooded jacket, a dark skirt, dark leggings, and dark shoes. A small pink backpack is being held by the top handle in front of the body. The background is mostly the wooden fence. Family handout
Nyla May Bradshaw was described as "full of light" by those who knew her

A seven-year-old girl who died after falling into a pond at a golf course got away from her childminder through a gap in a fence, an inquest has heard.

Nyla May Bradshaw was taken to a park in the Owston area of Doncaster in the morning of 30 March and was reported missing a short time later.

An inquest opened at Doncaster Coroner's Court earlier heard Nyla, who was non-verbal and autistic, had passed through a hole in a fence and headed towards nearby woodland.

She was later found unresponsive and face down in a pond in the grounds of Owston Hall Hotel and was pronounced dead at Doncaster Royal Infirmary at 13:18 BST.

Senior coroner Nicola Mundy fixed a provisional date for a full inquest on 8 December.

Speaking to the BBC previously, family friend Charlotte Cooper described Nyla as "an escape artist" who had a tendency to run off.

Cooper said the Ofsted-registered childminder had been told that Nyla was a "flight risk".

BBC/Mark Ansell A landscaped grassy area with a large dark sign standing in the center. The sign displays the number “13” in large yellow lettering and includes a smaller emblem and text reading “Owston Hall” beneath a drawing of a building. The sign is positioned upright on the grass. In front of and around the base of the sign, there is a large collection of floral tributes laid directly on the grass. The flowers are arranged in bouquets and clusters, featuring a wide range of colors including pink, yellow, white, blue, and purple. Some of the bouquets are wrapped in pastel-colored paper or clear plastic. The background consists of an open green field leading to a line of leafless or early-spring trees and shrubs, suggesting the photo was taken outdoors in a rural or park-like setting.BBC/Mark Ansell
Floral tributes and plush toys have been left at the scene at Owston Hall

Cooper said by about 9:45 BST that day, Nyla's parents received a phone call saying Nyla had gone missing and her body was later located by police helicopter in the pond.

Paying tribute to her, Cooper described Nyla, from Skellow, as "full of light and amazing energy".

"Nyla was the sweetest girl I ever got the privilege to hold and take care of," she said.

"I knew her her whole life, watched her brothers grow up too, who absolutely adored their baby sister.

"She was just magical, never sad, always in Nyla's world."

Cooper has since launched a campaign alongside Little Rainbows Doncaster, a children's autism charity, for improvements to special educational needs and disabilities care provision beyond school hours.

A fundraiser in Nyla's memory has to date raised more than £20,000.

South Yorkshire Police said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Nyla's death.

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