Six-year-old Jayden Kearns was fatally struck by a minibus driven by Chris Cleaver outside his home in Preston on March 26, 2023. Jayden, playing with other children, was hit after Cleaver reversed his vehicle, which had a significant blind spot. Witnesses described a loud crunch as they saw Jayden trapped underneath the wheels. Despite swift medical assistance, he succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. The coroner’s inquest found no indication of wrongdoing by Cleaver, who passed tests for drugs and alcohol. Jayden’s family has since been devastated by the loss, recalling him fondly as “Nanna’s boy.”
After his six-year-old son was run over outside his home, the heartbroken father ran out of the house screaming, “My son, my son.”
Jayden Kearns was playing with other children outside his home in New Lough Hey, Preston, at around 4.35pm on March 26 last year when Chris Cleaver, who was returning home from a school run. ran him over because of the van’s blind spot.
The minibus driver pulled out a Citroen Relay to talk to his children who were playing with little Jayden, then announced that he would come and visit them after parking the van.
He checked his mirrors, put the van in reverse, and then heard a loud “crunching” sound.
A neighbor heard the crash and saw the 4-year-old boy being “dragged under the wheels,” according to the coroner’s office, and Cleaver immediately stopped and rushed to the boy’s aid. .
When neighbors rushed to the scene, they found the driver crying on the side of the road, holding his head in his hands, and the boy’s father rushed out of the shower wearing only a towel and shouting, “My boy, my boy.” .
The inquest heard how paramedics rushed to the scene before taking the boy to Royal Preston Hospital, but despite their best efforts, the boy died at 5.50pm that afternoon. Died.
An inquest into Jayden’s death held at Preston Coroner’s Court yesterday heard that Mr Cleaver, who runs a school management service for children with special needs, was returning home from work when he saw the boy playing outside on his bike. The situation was heard.
Jayden Kearns was playing with other children outside his home in New Lough Hay, Preston (pictured) when he was hit by a van.
Neighbors called for help for the boy after the crash, one of whom said: “I heard a loud crunching sound and saw little Jayden being dragged under the wheels.”
Jaden’s grandmother, Kathleen Yates, was at her daughter Gemma’s house at the time and had brought Jaden home from daycare.
Mrs Yates said that when she heard Mr Cleaver turn into the cul-de-sac, she thought he was speeding and thought: “You idiot.”
Neighbors rushed to the boy’s aid after the crash, with resident Derek Winstanley saying: “I heard a loud crash and saw little Jayden being dragged under the wheels.” . Chris jumped out and picked Jayden up.
“I knew right away that it was something serious. It was like my life had disappeared.”
The grieving grandmother rushed out screaming at the father of her five children. “What did you do to my grandson?”
Paramedics gave Jayden a blood transfusion at the scene, and he was taken by ambulance to the hospital with police escort.
He suffered severe head and chest injuries and was in cardiac arrest on arrival.
Jaden failed to respond to treatment and was pronounced dead at 5:50 p.m. The cause of death was recorded as chest trauma.
Meanwhile, Mr. Cleaver passed a roadside drug and alcohol test, as well as an on-site impairment test and a vision test.
He was interviewed under police guard and stated that he had been checking his surroundings before leaving seconds before the collision, but that the wheelchair ramp inside the minibus had impaired his visibility.
Collision investigator PC Rachel Carberry explained that the vehicle had a “significant blind spot” and would have restricted visibility for father-of-five Jaden.
Police used mannequins to recreate the crash and viewed camera footage of the crash.
PC Carberry was asked whether Mr Cleaver had entered the cul-de-sac at “excessive speed”. She said: “The CCTV footage showed him entering New Lough Hay and he was moving through there, but in my opinion it wasn’t fast.” That’s what I expected. That’s probably the speed it was running at. ”
Mr Cleaver, who no longer lives in New Lough Hay, passed his driving test in 2012. He worked for 247 Group, transporting special needs children to and from his home and Acorns Elementary School in Preston.
He did not attend the inquest, but his lawyer offered his condolences to Jayden’s family. Kathleen Yates, Jaden’s grandmother, responded: “We’re sorry, but we don’t want that.”
Since Jayden’s death, his parents and sister have not been able to return home. Mrs Yates said her family’s “whole world was torn apart”.
The inquest heard Jaden was a fan of Paw Patrol and Spider-Man. He was especially close to his grandmother, who said: It’s Nanna’s boy…”
Detective Sergeant Matt Davidson said: “We will need to show that his standard of driving was below that expected.” In our research, that was not the case. ”
Before completing the inquest, District Coroner Kate Bissett asked Jayden’s grandmother if she had anything to say. Mrs. Yates replied, “I can’t believe that damn head made it.”
Ms Bissett recorded the cause of death as “road traffic collision” and concluded that “there are no circumstances that clearly indicate that this should be referred to the Crown Prosecution Service”.
“Jaden Paul Anthony Kearns passed away at Royal Preston Hospital on 26 March 2023 from injuries sustained in a road traffic accident in New Lough Hay.”