Inquest opens into death of toddler who died in holiday caravan fire at Ingoldmells

The Assistant Coroner for Lincolnshire, Paul Cooper, was told the body of Louisiana Brooke Dolan was identified using DNA tests after the blaze in Ingoldmells, near Skegness, on August 23.

Louisiana Brooke Dolan, aged two, was on holiday with her mum Natasha and her three siblings when fire broke out.

The toddler died in the fire but her mother and the other children were able to escape.

An inquest opening at Lincoln Coroner's Court was told this morning (Friday) that a post mortem examination carried out by pathologist Dr Michael Biggs at Leicester Royal Infirmary gave a provisional cause of death for the toddler as inhalation of products of combustion.

Coroner's officer Jacqui Foxlow told the hearing that Louisiana Brooke, whose address was given as Parker Street, Newark, was identified from DNA samples.

She said: "Sadly we were unable to establish a visual identification of the deceased.

“Samples were taken from a family member for DNA profiling.

“These have been compared against samples taken at post-mortem and consequently identity was confirmed.”

Police inquiries are ongoing, the coroner was told, and reports have been requested from a GP, East Midlands Ambulance Service, and Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue.

:Assistant Coroner for Lincolnshire Paul Cooper adjourned the inquest for a full hearing at a later date.

He said "The inquest will be adjourned to some future date to allow inquiries to be concluded."

No family members were present at today's inquest opening which lasted just two minutes.

At the time of the fire Louisiana Brooke's grandmother Donna Broadley posted of the family's devastation on Facebook writing “Our hearts are broken as ‘wee wee’ was our baby of our family.

“Tash gave her everything. She was her right leg.

“Our hearts are broken.

“We as a family will be here for Tash and my grandchildren.”

Almost £20,000 has been raised for the family with over 750 people donating to a GoFundMe account set up by family friend Laurie Selfridge.

The funeral for Louisiana Brooke is to take place at St Mary Magdalene Church in Newark on Monday.