Girl, 8, died falling from sixth-floor balcony – as mum reveals her torment over ‘biggest mistake’
A TRAGIC eight-year-old girl died falling from a sixth-floor balcony while visiting her mum, an inquest heard.
Minnie Rae Dunn, who lived with her gran, was playing with another girl at the flat in Portsmouth when the horror unfolded.
An inquest heard the balcony, which had a metre-high wall with netting, was "cluttered" with around eight bin bags and a pouffe.
Her mum Rebecca Dunn told the inquest she would sometimes let her daughter on the balcony to paint.
On the day Minnie died, Rebecca initially refused to let her play outside but eventually agreed.
The mum said: "I am a sucker for her eyes and ended up giving in and that was the biggest mistake of my life."
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Rebecca admitted she had smoked cannabis around an hour before the August 2023 horror but denied it impacted her ability to look after Minnie.
A 43-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of child neglect by Hampshire Constabulary but was later released without charge.
The court heard Minnie was seen by a neighbour standing up on something before she fell.
The girl she was with had attempted to grab the youngster but was not able to save her.
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She later told police: "I couldn't hold on, my hand slipped off as she was moving really fast."
An air ambulance was scrambled to the block of flats but Minnie died shortly after from multiple injuries.
Hampshire acting senior coroner Jason Pegg said the death was a "desperately dreadful tragic accident".
He added: "I am going to record that Minnie Rae had been playing on the balcony and in that time elevated herself on an object which had been left on the balcony causing Minnie Rae to fall over the balcony wall."
In a handwritten statement following the inquest, Rebecca said her daughter was a "happy, lovable, sassy little girl".
She added: "She was loved by all that met her... Her passing had and continues to have a massive impact on our lives.
"Her smile was just as bright as the sun. We will have to love you from afar, but that love will never, never stop."
