Horror final injuries of troubled teen girl killed on M5 after escaping police

Tamzin was struck by the car on the busy motorway after fleeing a police car(Image: BBC)

A pre-inquest review on January 7 at Taunton Coroner's Court on Tuesday, heard from senior coroner Samantha Marsh who said the inquest into Tamzin's death would be heard by a jury.

A representative for the Hall family said they were "keen to emphasise" that the driver involved was "not at fault at all" for Tamzin's death.

She set a provisional date for the inquest on January 11 2027 at Wells Town Hall, with the inquest expected to last between two and three weeks.

The hearing on Tuesday was attended by members of Tamzin's family, including her mother, representatives for Avon and Somerset Police, and the driver of the vehicle involved in the crash.

Tamzin, a student, from Wellington, Somerset, sustained fatal head, neck and chest injuries and died at 11.10pm. Her wounds were so severe that she had to be identified using her fingerprints. During a first inquest in 2024, Somerset Coroner's Office investigator Ben Batley said: "Her injuries were not survivable and Tamzin was declared deceased where she was found on the motorway."

A report from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) told how she removed her handcuffs and climbed from the rear passenger side seat to the front passenger seat of the police car, which was parked on the side of the motorway.

The IOPC report, which did not name Tamzin said: "A female child was arrested for assault and criminal damage.

She was placed in the rear passenger side of a marked police car and handcuffed with her hands positioned in front. An officer was seated next to her during transport.

"While on her way to custody, the child managed to remove her handcuffs, climb into the front passenger seat, access the front passenger door and get out."

IOPC said the two officers from Avon and Somerset Police have been served misconduct notices for a "potential breach of their duties and responsibilities". The notices inform officers their conduct is subject to investigation, but does not necessarily mean that any disciplinary proceedings will follow.

Tamzin's mother Amy Hall has accused the authorities of 'desperately failing' her daughter.

Given Tamzin's high risk behaviour, she believes she should have been in a police van rather than a car. "My question is - how did she manage to get out of the handcuffs and out of the car with two police officers?" she said.

Tamzin died at about 11pm on Monday after being hit by a car on the M5 between junctions 24 Bridgwater and 25 near Taunton in Somerset.(Image: )

Amy told how her daughter's problems started when her dad died from cancer when she was just eight years old. Tamzin, who was autistic and suffered from mental health issues, became disruptive at school and ended up being 'taken away' by social services to live in a care home.

"Tamzin would be sent out of class, she found it overwhelming and got very anxious. They didn't know that at the time so it just looked like bad behaviour," Amy said. "You think of children that go into care because there's problems at home, but Tamzin came from a loving family home and she was well loved and looked after.

Then suddenly she was taken away from me and you have to trust the people to look after her."

"It was completely the wrong environment for her. She missed home, she missed me. She used to say: 'I know why I can't be at home.

My behaviour is scary sometimes for the other children'. It was such a difficult situation to be in as a parent. But the professional side of things - that's what she needed and that's what she never got."

Speaking about the day of her daughter's death, she said Tamzin had been acting 'very strange' and was 'agitated' and had been drinking. "I sent numerous messages to staff that day, saying I have real concerns but I felt they were ignored.

She wanted to go out and she wasn't allowed to go out, that's all I know. Did they always need to call the police? I wasn't there but sometimes I think the way they handled talking to her would make a situation worse."

Avon and Somerset Police said in a previous statement: "It's clear how loved she was and how much she is dearly missed by those who knew her.

We are committed to being open and transparent about what happened and we have said from the outset that we will do whatever we can to assist the IOPC's enquiries.

"We are also mindful of the welfare of our officers who were at the scene at the time of Tamzin's death.

We are ensuring their welfare is considered and they receive the necessary support during the course of this investigation."

A spokesperson for Somerset Council, Somerset NHS[4] Foundation Trust and young people's care charity Homes2Inspire - all organisations involved in Tamzin's care - told the BBC[5]: "Our thoughts remain with Amy, Tamzin's family, and all those affected by this devastating incident.

"We are supporting the IOPC investigation into the circumstances leading up to Tamzin's tragic death and do not want to prejudice this process by commenting further at this time."

References

1. ^ hit by a car on the M5 (www.mirror.co.uk)
2. ^ Avon and Somerset Police (www.mirror.co.uk)
3. ^ Officers investigated after autistic girl, 17, escapes police car in handcuffs and is killed (www.mirror.co.uk)
4. ^ NHS (www.mirror.co.uk)
5. ^ BBC (www.mirror.co.uk)