Historic hotel faces prosecution after woman, 21, was crushed to death by falling wardrobe

A Liverpool hotel is under threat of prosecution after a 21-year-old woman was crushed to death by a wardrobe in her room.

Chloe Haynes, 21, was found dead under the heavy wooden wardrobe at the Britannia Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool after a night out on the town.

The holiday park employee had traveled from Pwllheli, North Wales, to stay with a friend at the Grade II listed hotel in Liverpool city centre.

The historic hotel, owned and operated by Britannia Hotels, is now being prosecuted following the launch of a health and safety investigation.

The 21-year-old’s mother, Nicola Williams, 49, from Wrexham, is also seeking answers in relation to the death of her ‘little and beautiful’ daughter – as Liverpool City Council confirmed the investigation into the tragedy is ‘ongoing’ ‘ is.

Mrs Williams said: ‘I need to know, as a mother I need to know every detail. I don’t know how long she was under there before she died.

“I just can’t believe my daughter never comes home because of a wardrobe, because of maybe two screws in a wall.”

The 21-year-old – who was a twin and one of five children – was only discovered when her boyfriend returned to the room in the early hours of the morning to find the horrific scene.

The friend, in turn, called for help before two men from other rooms helped lift Chloe’s wardrobe – only to find her crushed beneath it.

Chloe Haynes, 21, died while staying at the hotel after a night out with a friend in Liverpool

Three men, ages 26, 46 and 49 — including the 21-year-old’s boyfriend and the two “good Samaritans” who came to help — were initially arrested in connection with the death.

Those arrested included 46-year-old father Wayne Kenny who was about to leave the hotel for the day with his two sons before rushing to the crime scene in the 21-year-old’s room.

However, all three were released without charge after Merseyside Police later said Ms Hayne’s death was ‘accidental’ and there were ‘no suspicious circumstances’.

Liverpool Council later carried out spot checks at the historic hotel, before issuing prohibition notices to Britannia Hotels 12 days later regarding the safety of the wardrobes found in Chloe’s room.

The company in turn appealed against Liverpool Council’s prohibition sign on the wardrobe before the notices were canceled after the work was carried out.

The 21-year-old’s mother said: ‘By midnight she had shots and so on and she was a little drunk, so her boyfriend took her back to the hotel to sleep in, and then he left.

“She appears to have gotten out of bed confused, not knowing where she is, and opened the wardrobe door, perhaps thinking it was the toilet or the door to get back out of the room.

“It was a big, old, heavy wardrobe and it fell on her and crushed her windpipe.”

The owners of the Adelphi Hotel, Britannia Hotels, are now threatened with prosecution over the death of Chloe Haynes

Speaking of her loss in September 2022, the grieving mother said: “She loved animals, she had a little dog named Archie that she was obsessed with. There are so many pictures of them together.

My little nickname for her was birdy. She was so petite and small, and when she ate she was like a bird,” said Mrs Williams.

‘She was quiet, she was someone who spoke only when necessary.

“She was beautiful, but she struggled with self-confidence, so she didn’t really know how beautiful she was and that made her beautiful inside, too. She was very nice.’

A spokesman for Liverpool City Council said: ‘We can confirm that we are conducting a health and safety investigation into a death at the Adelphi Hotel on 10 September. Our investigations are ongoing.”

Britannia Hotels, Adelphi’s parent company, did not respond to requests for comment.