Girl, 8, died after falling 60ft from 'cluttered' sixth-floor balcony visiting her mother who had smoked cannabis that day, inquest hears
A 'happy' eight-year-old girl fell 60ft to her death from a cluttered sixth-floor balcony after visiting her mother who had smoked cannabis that day, an inquest heard today.
Minnie-Rae Dunn tragically died from catastrophic injuries after she fell from the balcony which had 'little space' and was cluttered with eight bin bags full of clothes and furniture.
Her heartbroken mother Rebecca Dunn told her inquest she initially told Minnie-Rae that she could not play on her balcony, but ended up 'giving in' because 'I'm a sucker for her eyes'.
At the time of the incident, Ms Dunn had smoked cannabis, which she uses for medicinal purposes to help her with her anxiety and mental health.
Ms Dunn said allowing 'sassy' Minnie-Rae onto the outdoor terrace has been the 'biggest mistake of my life'.
A coroner today ruled that Minnie-Rae's death was 'an accident', caused when the youngster fell after she stood on an object.
In a heartfelt written tribute after the inquest, Minnie-Rae's family said she had a 'smile as bright as the sun'.
The inquest at Portsmouth Coroner's Court, Hants, was told that Minnie-Rae had lived with her grandmother Dorothy Kenney since October 2018.
The youngster would often visit her mum, who lived in a flat in Pickwick House tower block in Buckland, Portsmouth.
Ms Dunn was asked about how often Minnie-Rae would play on the balcony and she said 'not all the time, but sometimes'.
It was heard that Minnie-Rae would colour and paint on the outdoor terrace, which had a wall that was one and a half metres high.
The inquest heard the balcony had an item of furniture on it, which was referred to as a pouffe and padded seat by the coroner.
There were also eight bin bags containing clothes belonging to Ms Dunn's other daughter.
Ms Dunn said that the pouffe was usually positioned closer to the door but had been moved.
'Someone went out for a fag and moved it and didn't move it back,' she told the inquest.
On August 24 2023, Minnie-Rae was visiting her mum with another young girl, who has not been named for legal reasons.
On that day, Ms Dunn had smoked a 'joint of cannabis in the morning and another at around five o'clock in the afternoon'.
'I do it for my mental health,' Ms Dunn told the inquest.
Jason Pegg, area coroner for Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton, asked the mother whether she thought this had impacted upon her 'ability to look after Minnie-Rae'.
In response, she said: 'No, it never has before.'
The inquest heard that in the late afternoon and early evening, the girls went out onto the balcony.
Describing how this came about, Ms Dunn said: 'She did ask me to go out but I said no at first.
'They got slime all over the bed, and I'm a sucker for her eyes, I ended up giving in and that is the biggest mistake of my life.'
While outside, Minnie-Rae was 'playing and chatting' with the other young girl before she tragically fell to her death.
The circumstances are unclear but it is understood that the youngster stood on an object on the balcony, meaning she was 'elevated'.
The girl told the police that she had tried to grab Minnie-Rae's leg as she slipped backwards but was unable to hold on.
One neighbour described hearing a 'loud dull thud' as the youngster hit the concrete while another said they saw a 'flash of burgundy' from their window before hearing a 'bang'.
Despite efforts of medical staff, Minnie-Rae died at the scene.
Ms Dunn described her daughter as 'sassy', adding: 'She was a good kid.'
Ms Kenney, Minnie-Rae's grandmother, told the inquest: 'She was happy.
'She loved her family, she loved school and friends and she liked to go out playing, going to different places on holidays.
'She was quite a happy girl.
'She used to like charge around quite a bit, like round the house and stuff.
'When it came to like danger and stuff like that, she was quite savvy, quite a savvy girl.
'But, she could be a bit clumsy at times.'
A post-mortem examination concluded that Minnie-Rae died of multiple injuries sustained in a fall from height.
Delivering his conclusion, Mr Pegg said: '[Minnie-Rae] was a happy girl, someone who was loved by all of her family, someone who liked playing and someone who would spend some of her time with her mother at Pickwick House.
'Ms Dunn... you have told me that Minnie-Rae was sassy and a good kid and you told me about the occasions when she would come and visit you at your flat.
'You have told me that when Minnie-Rae would come and visit you, she would go out onto the balcony on occasions and play with her friend who was of a similar age.'
Mr Pegg said he heard evidence that the balcony is usually 'free of any debris and clutter'.
He continued: 'But, on the 24th of August 2023, when Minnie-Rae visited your flat there were a number of black bin bags containing clothes, distributed and cluttering the balcony.
'There was very little space for Minnie-Rae and [the other girl] to go and play out onto the balcony.'
Mr Pegg spoke of how the girls would have wanted to play on the balcony because it was likely a 'fine' summer's day.
He referred to evidence from Ms Dunn, who said that she 'didn't think about the fact there was not much space' for the girls on the balcony.
Mr Pegg said: 'Minnie-Rae stood on something, elevating herself so that her waist was above the wall of the balcony.
'Minnie-Rae then fell from that balcony.'
Mr Pegg returned a conclusion of an accidental death for the youngster.
He said: 'Minnie-Rae fell from the sixth floor balcony... onto the ground below, causing Minnie Rae to suffer multiple injuries.
'Minnie-Rae had been playing on the balcony and during that time, had elevated herself on an object which had been left on the balcony, causing Minnie-Rae to fall over the balcony wall.'
In a handwritten tribute, Ms Dunn and Minnie-Rae's sister Porscha said: 'Minnie Rae was a happy, loveable, sassy, little girl.
'She was loved by all that met her. She made friends wherever she went. Her family adored her.
'Her passing had and continues to have a massive impact in our lives.
'Losing our sweet Minnie-Moo was devastating but we will always have such fun memories of her, such as when we went to the sunflower field, her smile was just as bright as the sun.
'We will have to love you from afar, but that love will never, never stop.
'Love and miss you forever in our hearts.'
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