A 15-year-old girl was killed by a train while crossing the tracks looking at her cellphone.
A child who saw what happened said that Evie Wright “kept looking down at her phone like she was checking the time” before the train struck her, Metro reported.
A coroner found no evidence that the girl purposely tried to take her life.
A safer crossing was requested 20 years ago, so that pedestrians would not have to cross in the path of oncoming trains according to Metro.
Terribly sad. Sympathies to Evie’s family and all her friends in Worle:https://t.co/OKXtZXDizP
— Tom Wright (@TomWrightNS) February 14, 2019
After Wright came home from school that day, she used social media to communicate with friends, and then went back outside, winding up near the train tracks.
The train engineer described the moment he saw Wright in front of him, via Metro.
“I saw her looking up at me as she stepped toward the crossing. There was nothing I could do to stop my train at such a short distance,” said train driver Simon Harkus. “I saw the girl hunch down as though bracing herself, and then I felt the impact as the train hit her.”
“I instinctively closed my eyes, and when I opened them about ten seconds later, I could see her lying face down on the track, and the train was stopped,” said the child who witnessed the tragedy.
Evie Wright died on March 6 last year after being struck on the Corondale Road crossing, near Weston Milton station.https://t.co/oyh9qbP8su
— Weston, Worle & Somerset Mercury (@WSMERCURY) February 14, 2019
Evie’s father, Lee Wright, has since advocated for a proper and safe pedestrian crossing over the train tracks, Metro reported.
“Whilst all this is going on in the background, children are trying to cross this crossing. Our daughter is not the first to die like this,” said Lee Wright. “I am disappointed in the people responsible for this, and I would like to request something is done as soon as possible.’
Evie’s mother, Natasha Deakin, shared memories of her daughter, via Metro.
Deakin described Evie as “a happy girl with a wide circle of friends.”
Friends & family pay tribute to 15-year-old Evie Wright, who died after being struck by a train at a level crossing near Weston-super-Mare last week: https://t.co/wGc57BYqBN
— Jillian MacMath (@Jillian_MacMath) March 12, 2018
She had more positive words about her daughter.
“She was described by her friends as the kindest, most genuine friend, always there for a hug,” Deakin said. “On the whole she loved life – there was always music in the house, she was always singing and dancing, and she spent a lot of time talking to friends on social media.”
She also spoke about the impact of her loss.
“She was a confident girl with a rational and empathetic nature. She was very generous to friends and would often stick up for them.” Deakin said. “A deep sadness is felt throughout Evie’s family and friends at the loss of our beautiful daughter, and will remain for a very long time.”
Senior Coroner Maria Voisin gave her conclusions after her investigation, obtained by Metro.
“I record a narrative conclusion, the details of which are that Evie died from multiple injuries when she was struck by a train. On March 6, 2018, she walked onto a railway line and into the path of a train, which struck her. Her intentions when she walked onto the train line are unknown,” she said.
“All that is left for me to say to her family is how very sorry I am,” Deakin said.
The bridge over the train tracks was never built due to changes in structure for the company that was supposed to have it built, Metro reported.
After the tragedy, tribute notes were placed at the crossing, as reported by Bristol Live.
“Rest in peace gorgeous,” read one note.
“To my little girl, one red rose for every year you have given me happiness. My heart is broken, you will always be my precious little girl I am so proud of you and I always will be, sleep tight sweet heart I love,” read another.
