Mother pays tribute to 'beautiful' girl, 17, killed on M5 after fleeing from police car

26 November 2024, 15:35

A mother has paid tribute to her "beautiful" daughter after the 17-year-old was killed on M5 after fleeing from the back seat of a police car.

Tamzin Hall, 17, from Wellington, died after exiting the police vehicle on a stretch of the busy motorway in Somerset at around 11pm on Monday, November 11.

The teenager was being taken into police custody by two officers following her arrest when the accident happened, with the police car stopping suddenly on the northbound stretch of the M5.

The teenager is said to have seized the opportunity to escape, climbing over the carriageway's crash barriers between junctions 24 and 25 for Taunton before stepping out into oncoming traffic.

The inquest, taking place at Wells Town Hall, saw Tamzin's mother describe the teenager as "the most kindest, caring, loving, loyal girl ever".

Describing her eldest daughter as her "best friend", her mother added that the death had left their family "devastated".

The mother added that Tamzin, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, was "taken far too young".

Avon and Somerset Police confirmed the teenager's death shortly after the incident and are now facing an investigation by police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

At an inquest into her death on Tuesday, Tamzin's mother added: "Tamzin was the most kindest, caring, loving, loyal girl ever," she said.

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"She was the most honest person I’ve ever known; she was very special to me.

"She was my shadow from the moment she opened her eyes in the morning until she went to sleep at night.

"She was such an intelligent young girl and had such interesting perceptions on things in life."

She added: "Tamzin was my absolute everything and I can’t believe she isn’t here anymore. She was my world."

Coroner's officer Ben Batley told the hearing: "Tamzin was pronounced dead at 23:10 GMT and identified by fingerprint comparison.

"Her injuries were not survivable and Tamzin was declared deceased where she was found on the motorway."

Following the incident on November 11, an IOPC spokesperson said: "We have started an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of a 17-year-old girl who was struck by a vehicle on the M5 near Taunton last night."

"Our thoughts and sympathies go out to Tamzin’s family for their devastating loss," Avon and Somerset police said following the tragic incident.

Mr Batley said a post-mortem examination gave a provisional cause of death as head, neck and chest injuries pending further investigations.

Senior coroner Samantha Marsh said: "On the basis of the information provided to me, I believe I should open an inquest into the death of Tamzin Ellen Hall."

She adjourned the case until a pre-inquest review hearing on 5 November next year.

The coroner labelled it the earliest available date due to the complexity of the case.