Carer’s dad died day of funeral for daughter who fell from nightclub fire escape
The grieving dad of a carer who fell to her death from a nightclub’s fire escape died suddenly just hours after her funeral.
Katie Davenport jumped from a fire escape at Hey Amigos night club, Southport, after getting into an ‘altercation’ with colleagues, an inquest heard yesterday.
Her dad suffered a fatal seizure the same evening she was buried.
Katie’s sister, Lianne Clegg, said: ‘The impact this has had on our family has been devastating – not only losing Katie, we also lost her dad a few weeks later after he took an epileptic fit the night of her funeral and sadly passed away.’
Katie was placed on the fire escape by a door supervisor in the early hours of September 4.
But when he turned to check if she had left, he saw Katie jump from the balcony.
The 23-year-old, described as having an infectious laugh, suffered traumatic brain injuries and underwent surgery at The Walton Centre.
She died 13 days later with her boyfriend Niall by her side.
Lianne said: ‘I can’t even begin to describe the pain and heartache we have gone through since losing our beautiful Katie. She was the most beautiful, funniest girl with the most infectious laugh.
‘Katie had struggled with her mental health over the years but reached out for help and along with the help and support of her partner Niall had got to a place in her life where she was confident, outgoing and loving life.
‘She had recently passed her driving test, saving up for a mortgage, booked a holiday and got a second job in health care – a job she adored doing.’
The family were also in regular contact with Katie throughout the night.
Lianne said: ‘I have sat for months and months and tried to put together the night’s events, this has been painful and difficult and most of all frustrating.
‘I, along with other family members, received a Snapchat from Katie 20 minutes before the accident, she was happy, dancing and laughing on the dance floor of Hey Amigos showing no signs of distress or upset.
‘Her partner Niall was in contact with her via messages all night messages that show she was not upset or distressed and, in fact, having a really good night out with her work colleagues, a rare night out as Katie very rarely drank or socialised as said before only recently had the confidence to start going out.’
Senior coroner Julie Goulding gave a narrative conclusion and said Katie died as a result of significant brain injuries with ‘insufficient evidence she wanted to take her own life’.
Katie’s funeral took place at West Lancashire Cemetery and Crematorium on October 14.
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