Ashfield teen died after being swept out to sea as she posed for pictures, inquest hears
A 15-year-old Ashfield girl was taking photos with her friend before she was swept out to sea, an inquest heard.
Grace Keeling died in the sea at Withernsea along with her mother, Sarah Keeling, 45, and passer by Mark Ratcliffe, 67, who went into the water to help her on the afternoon of January 2 and immediately got into difficulties themselves.
On Thursday (May 28), coroner Lorraine Harris heard how Grace and her friend were taking pictures and videos on the steps leading down to the beach with the sea spray behind them before Grace was engulfed by a large wave.
In a statement from Jonathan Keeling, Grace's dad and Sarah's husband, read out at Hull Coroner's Court he said: "I'm going to miss my wife and daughter terribly and my life is never going to be the same again."
Mr Keeling described his wife as having a "very spontaneous personality" and said that Grace "completed our family" and "loved entertaining people".
He described how Grace has ambitions of becoming an event planner or an entertainment manager.
The court heard that Sarah had taken her daughter Grace and a friend to Withernsea for a day out travelling from their homes in Sutton-in-Ashfield, along with their family dog, Lulu.
In a statement, Grace's friend, who cannot be named due to restrictions imposed by the court, said: "We were taking it in turns to go down the stairs... We were laughing and taking videos of each other.
"We said we would do it one more time… I turned around and in a split second, Grace was gone. It happened as quick as a blink.
"I initially thought she was hiding somewhere… and then I saw her in the water. Grace was screaming for help… I thought it was a joke."
She added: "The condition of the sea changed so quickly. The waves came out of nowhere."
In a statement, former fisherman Barry Appleby described the treacherous conditions. He said the sea was “extremely violent” and that he had beeped his horn and shouted to the two girls when he spotted them on the steps.
Mr Appleby said he was about to go down to them when “a huge wave about 12 ft high, came over Grace and this took her out to sea”.
He said he told Mrs Keeling “Don’t go in” but “she either did not hear me or chose not to listen”.
Coroner Lorraine Harris said the actions of Mr Ratcliffe were "selfless and brave" and said Mrs Keeling had "no thought for herself and committed an act of a parent trying to do anything to help her daughter in treacherous waters".
The inquest heard Sarah Keeling died from drowning and head and neck injuries and Mark Ratcliffe, from Withernsea, died from drowning and chest injuries Grace’s body was found on 15 January – 13 days after she was swept out to sea – trapped among giant sea defence boulders, but it was not recovered until two days later due to tides and conditions.
She died due to immersion in cold water, the inquest heard.
Recording a verdict of misadventure in Grace's case, coroner Lorraine Harris said: “Grace and her friend were doing what all teenage girls do – having fun and taking photos.
“Without appreciating the danger of going so close to the water’s edge, Grace stood with her back to the sea.
“What happened next was so quick that she would not have had any time to help herself.
“She was engulfed by a wave and taken out to sea.”
The coroner recorded narrative verdicts in respect of Mrs Keeling and Mr Ratcliffe.
She said Mrs Keeling, who was 45, had “died in pursuit of trying to save her daughter”.
Speaking about Mr Ratcliffe’s selfless act she added: “I find that he placed trying to save the lives of Mrs Keeling and her daughter Grace over his own safety.
“It was an act of bravery.”
The court heard how at least three other people went into the water on that day to try and help.