Seven-month-old Tommy Taylor-Mclean, of Huntsman Drive in Upminster, fell off of a bed on the first day of a family trip to the Caribbean island of St Lucia, East London Coroner’s Court has heard.
The Havering tot’s tragic death was pronounced in a hospital on the island on April 2.
An inquest was opened in Walthamstow on Wednesday, April 9, after his body was repatriated to the UK.
Senior coroner Graeme Irvine said he would ask the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to help obtain key evidence gathered by the authorities in St Lucia.
“I will be very clear,” he told the court. “Coroners in England and Wales have legal powers to require evidence from persons and organisations. Regrettably, those powers cease at the borders of England and Wales.
“I have to rely on diplomatic channels to get evidence from foreign jurisdictions.”
Last year, the court heard of two cases in which foreign states or companies refused to supply evidence.
The United Arab Emirates refused to hand over investigation reports into a north London barrister’s death, and video doorbell company Ring refused to release potentially important footage in an east London police shooting.
An online fundraising page in memory of baby Tommy has so far raised more than £12,600 for the St Lucia hospital that treated him.
It described him as “the best little boy” who “brought so much joy and happiness to everyone that met him”.
“We are totally lost without him, but take comfort in knowing the number of lives he touched in the short time he was with us,” said a statement attributed to his parents Hannah and Matt.
The details Mr Irvine had of the case so far had come from repatriation papers supplied by funeral directors, he told the court last week.
“It indicated that Tommy had been on holiday with his parents,” he said.
“They had arrived in St Lucia on the first of March and early in the trip Tommy had fallen from a bed and injured himself.”
Initially, he had seemed okay – but then his condition deteriorated and he required hospitalisation.
He was treated by St Jude Hospital in Vieux Fort, where it was discovered he had suffered a bleed on the brain.
The online fundraising page praised the “wonderful doctors” who treated him.
“All the staff treated Tommy with such care and compassion, but sadly there were not the resources to operate on Tommy,” it said.
“We would love to raise money for the paediatric ward to be able to help other children.
“Sadly, our baby boy Tommy lost his life, but we would love to try and help save other children and babies in the future, in our precious son’s honour. He will live forever in our hearts and minds.”
“It seems that a post-mortem examination was undertaken in St Lucia,” Mr Irvine told the inquest opening.
“The full extent of that investigation has not been disclosed to the court.”
A paediatric post-mortem ordered by Mr Irvine has not so far resulted in a provisional cause of death. Further laboratory tests had been ordered.
“It seems to me that this is a tragic set of circumstances and I want to offer my condolences to Tommy’s parents for their tragic loss,” said Mr Irvine.
“It seems that the circumstances of Tommy’s fall have not resulted in any criminal investigation in St Lucia. I should make that absolutely clear.”
He said “regrettable delays that take place in the provision of paediatric post-mortem reports” meant he would have to schedule Tommy’s final inquest towards the end of the year, on November 24.
“That causes me real concern,” the coroner said. “It seems to me that that will cause significant upset to the family and I’m very, very sorry for that.”
