A coroner has been left emotionally shaken after delivering her verdict on the devastating deaths of a teenager and his nine-year-old sister, who were killed in an e-scooter crash in Pitsea, near Basildon, Essex.
Roman Casselden, 16, and his sister Darcie were riding a privately owned e-scooter when they were involved in a hit-and-run incident on 1 February 2025. The siblings suffered traumatic head injuries after being pulled out in front of a car while riding the e-scooter in Ashlyns, close to the Stokefelde junction.
Coroner Michelle Brown, who was visibly upset during the inquest in Chelmsford, ruled that the deaths were unsurvivable due to the severity of the injuries. Addressing the family, she said: 'They were unsurvivable injuries. There was nothing that could have been done.'
The coroner also praised the family for their dignity and composure during the inquest, saying: 'I just want to thank you all for your dignity and how you have presented yourself. I don't know how you've done it.'
The incident has raised concerns about e-scooter safety and the need for greater awareness and regulation of e-scooters on UK roads.