Schoolboy, 13, plunged ’40ft’ to his death through moss-covered skylight
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A 13-year-old schoolboy plunged ’40 feet’ to his death through a moss-covered skylight after a group of friends climbed onto the flimsy roof of the warehouse, according to the investigation.
- Jethro Middleton, 13, fell through a skylight and onto the concrete floor below.
- The coroner ruled the death accidental, calling the incident “tragic.”
A schoolboy fell 40 feet to his death after falling through a moss-covered skylight in a warehouse roof, an investigation heard.
Jethro Middleton, 13, was with friends when they climbed and ran off the roof of a warehouse on an industrial estate in Okehampton, Devon, in April 2022.
The young man, known as Jet, launched himself through a moss-covered skylight and fell to the concrete floor below.
Jet, who enjoyed playing rugby for his club Okehampton RFC, died on April 13 from fatal head injuries following the tragic incident.
Exeter Coroner’s Court (pictured) heard that Jet had been with two friends, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and a dozen other teenagers when he fell from the roof.
The inquest at Exeter Coroner’s Court heard that Jet had been with two friends, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, and a dozen other teenagers.
They were all together near the warehouse and they were bored. The teens then went up to a shed which led to scaffolding for ongoing repairs to the roof.
The head of Exeter Coroner’s Court said Jet then saw people and vehicles operating in the warehouse factory and decided to walk back across the roof.
Jet, who may have been looking at his phone at the time, couldn’t make out between the skylight panels and the roof because it was covered in moss.
He then stepped on one of the plastic panels, and one child said he heard a ‘crack’. Jet sank about 30-40 feet to her death.
Two of the friends looked through the hole where he fell and could see him lying on the concrete floor. One child said that he almost fell.
Coroner Philip Spinney said: “As he was running across the roof area, a section of the roof broke off and he fell to the concrete floor about 30-40 feet below.
“Despite the best efforts of police and paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene.”
The court heard that the teens had seen warning and danger signs after the tragic incident, but would not have paid attention to them.
One kid said, ‘We just did it because it was scary and fun.’
The group then alerted warehouse factory staff and emergency services were called.
An autopsy confirmed that Jet died from a head injury that did not allow him to survive.
Work was underway on the leaky warehouse roof, according to a Health and Safety report. He added that the teenagers accessed the roof through the scaffolding.
Coroner Philip Spinney ruled the tragic death accidental.