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Sep 21, 2023

Dad's heartache after finding 'happy and loving' daughter, 11, dead in her bedroom

Roxy-Mae Barber has been described as "kind, funny and generous" by her

Roxy-Mae Barber has been described as "kind, funny and generous" by her devastated father Michael, who discovered her dead following a "tragic accident" in Grimsby, Lincolnshire

A father told of his devastation after finding his 11-year-old daughter dead in her bedroom.

Michael Barber hasn't been able to live in the house since discovering Roxy-Mae Barber lifeless in bed. He told her inquest on Friday Roxy, "a happy, cheeky and cared-for girl", showed no signs of distress or concern in the days which led to her death on May 4 last year.

And a coroner said that although the act which led to her death was deliberate, the youngster did not intend the result. Providing a narrative conclusion, senior coroner Paul Smith said there was no evidence of suicide or intention, reports Grimsby Live.

In a statement read in court, Michael said: "I'm devastated and have not been able to go back into the house where I found Roxy since her death and have been staying with my brother. I've now sold it and will be moving in with my partner."

His daughter had not long moved in with him after spending her early years with her mum Tracy Woodliffe at another address in Grimsby, Lincolnshire.

"We will be bringing all of Roxy's stuff to the new home however so she can still have a room of her own there," the dad added.

"She was beautiful, kind, funny and generous. She was a pleasure to be around and loved music. She also loved her two pet gerbils, Toffee and Caramel. The memories and love we felt for her will live on forever in our hearts, even though she was only with us for a short time.

"She enjoyed having things done for her and having her meals cooked." He explained how Roxy had grown to enjoy her time at secondary school and that they had toyed with the idea of getting a dog.

Roxy also spent a lot of time playing Fortnite on her Playstation with friends and on social media sites Snapchat and TikTok, her father stated. In the weeks leading up to her death, she was pleased Michael and his partner were thinking of getting married and had even started planning it in her notebook.

But at around 10.30pm on May 3, Michael said he heard a loud bang but thought nothing of it. At 7am the next day, he knocked on Roxy's door to wake her up for school, but received no answer. After further attempts to get a reply, he entered the room and discovered his daughter's body.

Paramedics arrived on scene shortly after 7.30am, but Roxy-Mae was sadly pronounced dead at 7.35am. In his statement, Michael also spoke about events that, in hindsight, may have been indicative of the actions that led to Roxy's death.

DC Paula Barden of Humberside Police also gave evidence. She said she was called to the scene on the morning of Roxy's death.

Crime Scene Investigators were also called, and officers inspected Roxy's social media accounts, but there was nothing on them or her devices to raise any concerns. Speaking about the impact Roxy-Mae's death had on the wider community, DC Barden said: "The school was as shocked as everyone else."

Coroner Smith gave a narrative conclusion. He said that although the act that led to her death was deliberate, she did not intend the result.

He added: "It was a dangerous act to do this and I am reminded that we are dealing with the tragedy of a girl of 11 years of age. There are too many unknowns to judge what the circumstances were or what was in her mind at that time. There is no evidence of suicide or intention.

"This absence means the most appropriate thing is a narrative conclusion. I thank you all for attending. It goes without saying that you all have my genuine sympathy.

"This has been very difficult not only for me, but also for members present. I'm sure the memories of her will live on for years to come."

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