Mother’s ‘horror’ as daughter dies on Weymouth railway line

An inquest has heard how the mother of a teenager watched paramedics trying to revive her daughter after she was electrocuted on a railway line.

Roxy Phillips, 15, was walking home along the track in Weymouth, Dorset, in the early hours of 23 March 2023 when she came into contact with the live rail.

Kerri Walker went to the scene after a mobile phone call in which a friend of Roxy’s said she had fallen on the tracks and was not breathing.

She said she watched “in horror” as a white sheet was placed over her daughter.

Roxy was described in court as a horse lover who enjoyed riding and competing.

In a statement read to the inquest, Ms Walker said Roxy’s behaviour deteriorated after a favourite horse was killed in an accident.

The inquest in Bournemouth heard the teenager was excluded from school and her mother said she asked for help from child social services but there were many delays.

In March 2023 she took an overdose and was taken to hospital.

The day before she died she had been due in court on charges of assaulting paramedics and police but the case was adjourned.

In the early hours of 23 March 2023, Ms Walker phoned Roxy to find out where she was.

A friend answered and said they had been drinking and Roxy had fallen on the railway track and was not breathing.

When Ms Walker arrived, paramedics were administering CPR.

“I was frozen and watching in horror,” she said.

She saw a white sheet being placed over her daughter.

The tragedy happened on the stretch of railway line near Redlands Sports Centre as the teenagers walked from the town centre towards Upwey.

The inquest heard that just before 01:00 GMT, there was a 999 call reporting that two people had walked onto the railway line at Weymouth station.

Power was switched off and Dorset Police went to the scene.

The force said officers did not access the track – but reported they could not see or hear anyone.

No further search was undertaken.

Just under half an hour later, power to the railway was switched back on.

Twenty-four minutes later, Roxy’s friend called emergency services to say the 15-year-old had fallen on the electrified tracks.

The inquest jury was told analysis of Roxy’s blood showed she was severely intoxicated and had taken cannabis.

Senior Dorset coroner Rachel Griffin said she expected the main issues the inquest would consider to be the searches undertaken following the report of trespassers on the track and the decision to re-electrify the railway line.

The inquest is expected to last about two-and-a-half weeks.