Rugby teenager died after she was struck by car shortly after 'altercation' at children's home

Emma Cockerill, who was aged 16, died in January 2016 after being struck by a vehicle on the B1167 in Thorney, Cambridgeshire, near the Thornberry Lodge children’s home where she had been a resident.

Emma had attended both St Matthew’s Bloxam primary school and Ashlawn in Rugby before being put in foster care.

Warwickshire County Council found a place for her at Thornberry Lodge, near Peterborough. She was the first resident at the children’s home which housed three other girls with “similar problems”.

The home was run by Archways Care and has since closed down.

The inquest, held before a jury at Huntingdon Law Courts, was told by Archways Care company director Chris Aristidou said on January 22, 2016, that “there had been an altercation and she [Emma] had gone out” after dark.

The inquest was told that Emma was wearing dark clothing on the unlit national speed limit road outside the property.

Official advice given to residents at the home was to wear hi-vis jackets when they went out onto the main road.

Emma was walking along the road in the same direction of traffic when she was struck by the car at about 5.30pm.

The inquest was told that the driver could not see Emma until it was too late.

She died the following day in hospital, having suffered a traumatic brain injury.

Her death was ‘accidental’ the inquest decided.

After the inquest her family said: “She had her whole life ahead of her and sadly this was cut short far too early.

“We would like to thank the coroner, witnesses and jury for their time.

“We hope everyone can now move on and remember her as the bright vivacious young thing she was.”