Mother pays tribute to ‘very special’ daughter who died after fleeing police

The mother of a 17-year-old girl who died after fleeing a police vehicle has paid tribute to her “very special” daughter.

Tamzin Ellen Hall, from Wellington, Somerset, sustained fatal injuries when she was struck by a car on the M5 between junction 25 at Taunton and 24 at Bridgwater shortly after 11pm on November 11.

An inquest opening at Wells Town Hall heard she had been under arrest at the time and was travelling in an Avon and Somerset Police car which had stopped on the motorway.

After the hearing, Tamzin’s mother Amy Hall described her eldest daughter as her “best friend” and said the death had left their family “devastated”.

“Tamzin was the most kindest, caring, loving, loyal girl ever. She was the most honest person I’ve ever known; she was very special to me,” she said.

“She had a great sense of humour, and we had many laughs together.

“She was my shadow from the moment she opened her eyes in the morning until she went to sleep at night. She was such an intelligent young girl and had such interesting perceptions on things in life.”

She added: “Tamzin was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, so she was unique and saw the world in such a different way.

“Tamzin was my absolute everything and I can’t believe she isn’t here any more. She was my world.”

Ms Hall said her daughter was “always so thoughtful” and enjoyed the simple things in life, as well as talking, her family and chocolate.

“Tamzin was such a wonderful daughter. She was a beautiful person,” she said.

“My life will never be the same but I’m using my strength for my other children, Tamzin’s siblings.

“She was only 17 but she has taught me a lot and I can use that memory and hold on to that.

“I will never ever get over it, she was taken far too young.”

Tamzin, a student, was being taken to a custody suite in Bridgwater by two officers in an Avon and Somerset Police car from an address in Taunton.

The inquest opening heard that the vehicle stopped on the northbound carriageway shortly after 11pm.

Coroner’s officer Ben Batley said Tamzin got out of the car before going across the northbound lane, climbing the barrier and making her way across the southbound lane where she was hit by a car.

Mr Batley told the hearing: “Tamzin was a passenger under arrest in a police vehicle travelling on the northbound carriageway on the M5 when it stopped for reasons yet to be established.”

He added: “Her injuries were not survivable and Tamzin was declared deceased where she was found on the motorway.”

Tamzin was pronounced dead at 11.10pm and identified by fingerprint comparison.

A post-mortem examination gave a provisional cause of death as head, neck and chest injuries pending further investigations.

Mr Batley confirmed that Avon and Somerset Police and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) were investigating the circumstances of the collision.

Samantha Marsh, senior coroner for Somerset, said: “On the basis of the information provided to me, I believe I should open an inquest into the death of Tamzin Ellen Hall.”

She adjourned the case until a pre-inquest review hearing on November 5 next year, which Mrs Marsh said was the earliest available date due to the complexity of the case.

Tamzin’s family, Avon and Somerset Police, the IOPC and the driver of the vehicle that collided with Tamzin were recognised as interested people in the inquest.

Mrs Marsh said background information considered as part of the inquiry would include “Tamzin’s presentation, with regard to any potential mental health history”.

The circumstances of Tamzin’s arrest and her transportation, as well as how she left the police car and what happened afterwards, will also be examined.

“At this time, I anticipate this being an inquest with a jury because it is a requirement that I sit with a jury because Tamzin, being under arrest, was in state detention,” Mrs Marsh said.

The coroner will later consider whether the hearing should be an Article 2 inquest, which would examine the wider circumstances of Tamzin’s death.

Concluding the hearing, Mrs Marsh said: “This is the first public hearing concerning Tamzin’s death.

“I would like to take this opportunity to offer my sincerest condolences, both personally and on behalf of the Somerset Coroner’s Service, to her mother Amy, her siblings and the wider family for their very tragic loss.”

The hearing was attended by four members of the press and one member of the public.

Earlier this month, the IOPC said a specially trained family liaison officer was in contact with Tamzin’s family to provide support.

IOPC director David Ford added: “This was a truly tragic incident and my thoughts are with Tamzin’s family and friends and everyone affected by the events of that evening.”