Latest news with #LeonnaRuka
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Pictured: Girl, seven, who died after tree 'held up by metal poles' collapsed on top of her in park - as heartbroken parents pay tribute to 'the light in our lives'
A seven-year-old girl who died after being crushed by an tree in a park in Essex has been named as Leonna Ruka. Little Leonna, from Dagenham in east London, had been visiting family in Southend-on-Sea when she and several other children were trapped underneath a tree that partially collapsed after reportedly being held up with metal struts. In a statement issued by Essex Police, the girl's family said she had been the 'light of their lives and in the lives of everyone who had the joy of meeting her'. A photograph was issued of the tragic youngster, showing her smiling, her hair tied in twin pigtails with pink ribbons. 'It is with broken hearts and unimaginable pain that we share the devastating loss of our beloved daughter Leonna – our beautiful, bright, and loving little girl, taken from us far too soon,' her family said. 'Leonna was more than just a child – she was a light in our lives and in the lives of everyone who had the joy of meeting her. 'She was an intelligent and curious soul, full of energy and creativity. A little girl who was always exploring, always asking questions, always dreaming. 'She had a heart full of love and a mind full of endless ideas. She was funny, kind, and full of life – a shining star who brought happiness wherever she went and she met. 'She was the kind of girl who gave love without asking for anything in return. She was perfect – too perfect for a world that can be so cruel and unfair. 'Leonna had so many dreams – dreams that now remain unfinished. We will never stop wondering who she would have become, but we will forever carry who she was.' The tragedy unfolded at around 3pm on Saturday June 28 at Chalkwell Park in front of horrified witnesses, including members of her family. Dozens of people ran to try to lift the tree off of the youngsters - including members of the local Westcliff Cricket Club. She had been visiting family in Essex at the time. Eyewitnesses previously described how they would 'never forget the screams' as they saw a tree 'split and fall to the ground'. Emergency services including an air ambulance rushed to the park and Leonna was taken to hospital with critical injuries. Despite the best efforts of medics, and members of the public who raced to help, she was later pronounced dead. A six-year-old girl remains in hospital in a critical injury, while three other children were treated for minor injuries. Her family added: 'We would like to take this moment to thank everyone who has supported us – our family, our friends, our community, and all those who stood with us in Southend and beyond. 'Your kindness, your prayers, and your presence have meant more than we could ever express. In our deepest sorrow, you reminded us that we are not alone. 'Leonna will live forever in our hearts – in every laugh, every sunbeam, every act of kindness we see in the world. We were so lucky to have had her, even if only for a short time. 'Thank you for holding her in your hearts.' Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of how the tree in Chalkwell Park came to collapse, as a senior councillor confirmed it had been propped up by supports for 'decades'. James Courtenay, Conservative group leader on Southend-on-Sea City Council, told the BBC he had memories of playing near the tree as a child in the 1990s. It had once been propped up with wooden beams that were later upgraded to metal. 'When I was a child I remember it having wooden supports back in the 1990s,' he said. 'It really must have taken half the cricket team with others to move it. It's absolutely huge branches for a tree that's hundreds of years old.' Piano showroom owner Adam Ramet, previously told MailOnline he could remember the cedar tree being propped up when he was young. He said: 'I'm 54, I've known it since I was a toddler, you can see it in old Edwardian postcards, it's been there that long. They're all young kids who are just playing around, running over the grass underneath the tree like everybody has done when they were a kid in that park. 'It's a park that if you're local, you grew up there, it's part of your life. 'There would have been lots of people and families there, there would have been lots of people who've been very seriously traumatised.' He said of park staff: 'I'm sure they will be absolutely devastated.' He believes the tree may have been up to 200 years old. Southend Council has said it will co-operate with the investigation, which is being led by police but also involves the Health and Safety Executive. Councillor Daniel Cowan, Labour leader of Southend-on-Sea City Council, told MailOnline on Sunday: 'This was a devastating incident and our heartfelt thoughts remain with the family, those injured, and everyone affected. 'We understand the strength of feeling locally surrounding this tragedy. 'The police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances around the collapse of the tree, and we want thorough answers so it would be inappropriate for the council to comment further or pre-empt their findings at this time. 'Our focus must be on supporting the community and allowing the investigation to provide the answers we all need.' Assistant Chief Constable Lucy Morris of Essex Police said her officers' hearts were 'break(ing) for Leonna and her family'. On Monday, police joined other emergency services to lay their own tributes and pay respects to Leonna after her death was confirmed on Sunday. 'To lose a child in any circumstance is unthinkable - to lose a child in this terrible way defies all belief,' she said. 'Everyone – from my officers and staff, to ambulance, fire and council colleagues, to the public of Southend and across the country – is struggling to come to terms with what happened on Saturday. 'The actions of those in the park who immediately did all they could to help are a continual reminder of the true spirit of the city of Southend. 'I thank everyone for the overwhelming messages of support for the families impacted. It is understandable that speculation follows in the wake of such a tragic incident. There is a full and independent police investigation underway. This will take time. 'We will update on the outcome of these enquiries as soon as we possibly can.' ACC Morris has pleaded with the public not to speculate as to how the tree came to collapse - warning of how 'harmful' such discourse can be during an investigation. 'There will be a time and a place for the facts around what led to this incident to be explored in a public forum,' she added. 'Our investigation is still at a relatively early stage and, as desperately as people want answers, I'd please urge patience.' In full: the heartbreaking statement issued by Leonna Ruka's family 'It is with broken hearts and unimaginable pain that we share the devastating loss of our beloved daughter Leonna – our beautiful, bright, and loving little girl, taken from us far too soon. 'Leonna was more than just a child – she was a light in our lives and in the lives of everyone who had the joy of meeting her. 'She was an intelligent and curious soul, full of energy and creativity. 'A little girl who was always exploring, always asking questions, always dreaming. 'She had a heart full of love and a mind full of endless ideas. 'She was funny, kind, and full of life – a shining star who brought happiness wherever she went and she met. 'From the moment she walked into a room, she would light it up. 'She had this rare gift of making everyone feel special and loved. There was something truly unique and unforgettable about her. 'Every person she met was left with only beautiful impressions and a warm feeling in their heart. 'She was the kind of girl who gave love without asking for anything in return. 'She was perfect – too perfect for a world that can be so cruel and unfair. 'Leonna had so many dreams – dreams that now remain unfinished. 'Our hearts ache knowing how much life she had ahead of her, how much joy she could have brought to this world. 'We will never stop wondering who she would have become, but we will forever carry who she was. 'We would like to take this moment to thank everyone who has supported us – our family, our friends, our community, and all those who stood with us in Southend and beyond. 'Your kindness, your prayers, and your presence have meant more than we could ever express. In our deepest sorrow, you reminded us that we are not alone. 'We are incredibly grateful for every candle lit, every flower placed, every tear shared in her memory. 'The outpouring of love for our daughter has brought us comfort in ways we never imagined possible. 'As we try to navigate this unimaginable pain, we kindly ask for privacy. 'This is a time of deep mourning and reflection for our family. 'We need space to grieve, to remember our precious Leonna, and to begin the slow and painful process of healing. 'Leonna will live forever in our hearts – in every laugh, every sunbeam, every act of kindness we see in the world. We were so lucky to have had her, even if only for a short time.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Pictured: Girl, 7, who died after tree fell on her in park
A seven-year-old girl who died when a tree collapsed onto her in an Essex park has been pictured for the first time. Leonna Ruka was visiting family when the accident happened in Chalkwell Park, Southend, on Saturday. In a tribute issued through Essex Police, her family said she was the 'light in our lives'. Leonna's family were enjoying the warm weather when the tree partially collapsed at just after 3pm. She was one of several children who were caught beneath it. Members of the public rushed to help the children, and were joined by first responders from all emergency services. Leonna, from Dagenham, east London, was taken to hospital, where she later died. Essex Police continues to support her family. A six-year-old girl remains in hospital in a critical condition. Three other children suffered minor injuries. Cllr James Courtenay, who leads Southend council's Conservative group, said he believed the tree had been supported by poles for years, if not decades. In a statement through the force, her family said: 'It is with broken hearts and unimaginable pain that we share the devastating loss of our beloved daughter Leonna – our beautiful, bright, and loving little girl, taken from us far too soon. 'Leonna was more than just a child – she was a light in our lives and in the lives of everyone who had the joy of meeting her. 'She was an intelligent and curious soul, full of energy and creativity, a little girl who was always exploring, always asking questions, always dreaming. 'She had a heart full of love and a mind full of endless ideas. She was funny, kind, and full of life – a shining star who brought happiness wherever she went and she met. 'From the moment she walked into a room, she would light it up. She had this rare gift of making everyone feel special and loved. There was something truly unique and unforgettable about her. 'Every person she met was left with only beautiful impressions and a warm feeling in their heart. She was the kind of girl who gave love without asking for anything in return. She was perfect – too perfect for a world that can be so cruel and unfair. 'Leonna had so many dreams – dreams that now remain unfinished. Our hearts ache knowing how much life she had ahead of her, how much joy she could have brought to this world. We will never stop wondering who she would have become, but we will forever carry who she was.' The family said they 'would like to take this moment to thank everyone who has supported us – our family, our friends, our community, and all those who stood with us in Southend and beyond'. They added: 'Your kindness, your prayers, and your presence have meant more than we could ever express. In our deepest sorrow, you reminded us that we are not alone. 'The outpouring of love for our daughter has brought us comfort in ways we never imagined possible. As we try to navigate this unimaginable pain, we kindly ask for privacy. 'This is a time of deep mourning and reflection for our family. We need space to grieve, to remember our precious Leonna, and to begin the slow and painful process of healing. 'Leonna will live forever in our hearts – in every laugh, every sunbeam, every act of kindness we see in the world. We were so lucky to have had her, even if only for a short time. Thank you for holding her in your hearts.' Cllr Courtenay said: 'That tree had been there for so long – it was an old tree when I was a lad. 'In this day and age, parents are always worried about their children in parks, but the one thing you wouldn't worry about is a tree collapsing. I can barely begin to imagine what the family must feel. Their world has been turned upside down in seconds.'
Telegraph
20 hours ago
- Telegraph
Pictured: Girl, 7, who died after tree fell on her in park
A seven-year-old girl who died when a tree collapsed onto her in an Essex park has been pictured for the first time. Leonna Ruka was visiting family when the accident happened in Chalkwell Park, Southend, on Saturday. In a tribute issued through Essex Police, her family said she was the 'light in our lives'.
Metro
21 hours ago
- General
- Metro
'Beautiful' girl, 7, crushed to death by falling tree named
Her family have paid tribute (Picture: REX/ESSEX POLICE) A seven-year-old girl crushed to death by a falling tree has been named as Leonna Ruka. Leonna, from Dagenham, was enjoying the warm weather in Chalkwell Park in Southend-on-Sea on Sunday when a tree collapsed. Several children were pinned beneath it, including Leonna, as dozens of park-goers and family members rushed to raise the broken branches. Leonna was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, where she died. The youngster's family said in a statement today: 'It is with broken hearts and unimaginable pain that we share the devastating loss of our beloved daughter Leonna – our beautiful, bright, and loving little girl, taken from us far too soon. Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens. 'Leonna was more than just a child – she was a light in our lives and in the lives of everyone who had the joy of meeting her. 'She was an intelligent and curious soul, full of energy and creativity.' Bani, the girl's cousin, previously told Metro that some 50 people raced to help the children after the tree snapped. 'She was an honest girl who was always good in school. She had so much wisdom for someone so young. Now she is gone,' he said. Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ Or you can submit your videos and pictures here. For more stories like this, check our news page. Follow on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here. Arrow MORE: Pilot escapes with minor injuries after plane nosedives into Essex field Arrow MORE: Tree that killed girl, 7, and badly hurt another 'was propped up by metal poles' Arrow MORE: Traffic delays on M25 after multi-vehicle crash
Sky News
21 hours ago
- Sky News
Girl who died after tree collapsed in Southend park had 'heart full of love', family say
A seven-year-old girl who died after a tree partially collapsed at a park in Essex has been named. Leonna Ruka, from Dagenham in east London, died in hospital after being caught beneath the tree at Chalkwell Park in Southend shortly before 3pm on Saturday. Her family described her as "the light in their lives", in a statement. "Leonna was more than just a child - she was a light in our lives and in the lives of everyone who had the joy of meeting her," they said. "She was an intelligent and curious soul, full of energy and creativity. "A little girl who was always exploring, always asking questions, always dreaming. She had a heart full of love and a mind full of endless ideas." She was among a number of children who became trapped. Essex Police said a second girl, aged six, remains in hospital in a critical condition. Another three children suffered minor injuries. Essex Police said it is investigating the "circumstances around the collapse of the tree". Witnesses described the scene as "heartbreaking" and how 40 to 50 people had tried to lift up the fallen tree. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
