IN A TRAGIC incident that unfolded outside Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, a baby girl lost her life due to a traumatic brain injury sustained when a car collided with her pram. The inquest into the incident revealed the devastating details of the accident that claimed the life of nine-month-old Mabli Cariad Hall.

On the morning of Wednesday, 21st June, Mabli was struck by a car while in her pram outside Withybush Hospital. Following the collision, she was immediately airlifted to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Due to the severity of her injuries, she was then transferred to the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children. Tragically, despite the tireless efforts of medical teams, Mabli succumbed to her injuries in the early hours of Sunday, 25th June.

During the opening of the inquest at Haverfordwest County Hall on Tuesday, Carrie Sheridan, the coroner’s officer for Dyfed-Powys Police, provided details of the incident. She stated, “At 11:50 am on 21st June, police received an emergency call reporting a collision involving a car and pedestrians on an unclassified road outside Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest. Mabli Cariad Hall from Neath was one of the pedestrians involved.”

Miss Sheridan further explained that Mabli was in her pram at the time of the collision and was initially taken to the accident and emergency department at Withybush Hospital. Subsequently, she was transferred to Cardiff and later to Bristol for specialized treatment. Regrettably, Mabli’s injuries proved fatal, and she passed away at 1:25 am on 25th June.

“The cause of death is severe traumatic brain injury,” stated Miss Sheridan, underscoring the gravity of the incident. She also revealed that the police have launched a comprehensive investigation, which is currently underway.

The driver of the car involved in the collision was also taken to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Following medical treatment, they have since been discharged from the hospital.

Devastated by the loss of their beloved baby girl, Mabli’s family expressed their immeasurable grief in a statement given to The Pembrokeshre Herald before the commencement of the inquest. They shared, “The loss of Mabli Cariad has changed all our lives forever. The pain and grief we are suffering as a family is indescribable. During this terribly painful time, we still have no answer to the central question we inevitably ask regarding the tragic loss of our beautiful baby girl – ‘Why did this happen?'”

The family hopes that the ongoing police investigation and the inquest proceedings will provide them with the answers they seek. They also expressed a desire for the outcome of this process to contribute to the prevention of similar tragedies in the future.

The acting senior coroner for Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, Paul Bennett, extended his condolences to Mabli’s family. Considering the ongoing police investigation, he adjourned the inquest until 25th January 2024.

This heart-wrenching incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of road safety and the need for continued efforts to prevent such tragedies from occurring.