Boy Dies After Fall at Bishop Auckland Barn, Investigation Underway
Jaxon Hubery, 12, succumbed to injuries sustained in Woodhouses incident; family raises safety concerns.
Image: Eddie Pollard / AI
Carla Rooney
A 12-year-old boy, Jaxon Hubery, died on Tuesday in Newcastle after sustaining serious injuries from a fall at a premises in Woodhouses, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, last Friday.
Paramedics transported Jaxon Hubery immediately to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle for urgent treatment following a catastrophic fall.
Durham Constabulary and the Health and Safety Executive launched a joint investigation into the incident's precise circumstances at the Woodhouses site.
A Durham Constabulary spokesman confirmed Hubery's death on Tuesday afternoon, July 28, 2020; he sustained fatal injuries after falling through a barn roof while with a group of friends.
Hubery's family publicly thanked supporters for their outpouring of love and solidarity, urging other parents to keep their children away from the incident area, a plea the Durham Constabulary spokesman echoed.
The biggest part of us ripped away too soon.
Kirsty Anne Hubery, a family member, stated the family had the 'biggest part of us ripped away too soon.' She clarified Hubery fell through the roof, directly contradicting initial reports suggesting he plunged off it.
Hubery further alleged the landowners 'failed to address' the 'unsafe' barn for decades, claiming nothing prevented children from gaining access to the property.
The focus now shifts to how such a structure remained accessible and potentially hazardous for an extended period, despite known risks and repeated warnings from both the family and police.
This perceived ongoing danger at the Woodhouses location demands immediate community attention and urgent enhanced safety measures to prevent future tragedies.
The joint investigation by Durham Constabulary and the Health and Safety Executive will determine the precise sequence of events and identify any contributing factors.
Their conclusions will prove crucial in addressing the family's concerns and ensuring accountability for the conditions at the site where Jaxon Hubery lost his life.