A mother and her daughter were killed after being struck by a car as they held hands on a pedestrian crossing, an inquest has been told. Destiny Harrison, 24, and her five-year-old daughter Linnea Harrison died when they were hit by a Nissan Qashqai on Victoria Road in Plymouth in March 2024.

Emergency services were called to the scene around 9:45 a.m. Linnea was pronounced dead at the location, while Destiny was later pronounced dead at Derriford Hospital. Post-mortem examinations revealed Destiny Harrison suffered multiple injuries, and Linnea died from a head injury.

Brenda Marriott, the driver of the Nissan Qashqai, provided a written statement to the hearing, stating she was following a white car as she approached the crossing. "The white car went through it, it was still green and I was following. I was driving at 30mph," Marriott said. "I saw two shadows of pedestrians. The car in front was higher than mine, so I did not have a clear view. When I drove closer, I saw the woman and a smaller person, with their heads down, step out into the road. They were holding hands. They stepped out in front of my car."

Marriott added that she immediately braked. "I do believe the lights were green when I drove through and think that the pedestrian misjudged the lights. I am so sorry, I am in shock," she stated.

Eyewitness Philip Askew was walking his dog and observed a woman and child approaching the crossing. He briefly turned away before hearing a loud bang and a scream. "I turned round immediately to see what it was," he said. Askew reported that others provided first aid to the victims. He did not see the collision itself or the color of the traffic lights at the time.

Another resident, Karen Bull, reported hearing a noise that sounded like an over-revving car. "I didn't see the car, I just heard it," she said. "The pedestrians were crossing the road. My attention was drawn to the pedestrians, so I didn't look to see the colour of the lights on the crossing. They appeared to be walking calmly and at normal pace. I heard a horrible noise. I can't get the noise out of my head."

Forensic collision investigator Pc Mel Inness stated that the vehicle had no defects. However, there was insufficient evidence at the scene to assess the driver's speed or reaction time. "There was nothing within the physical evidence to indicate emergency braking immediately prior to or post–impact but this does not preclude it from having occurred," Pc Inness noted. She added that it was unknown what color the traffic lights were when the Nissan approached the scene or when the pedestrians entered the road. The inquest is ongoing.