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Dajahnel Amazin Young: Inquest into death reveals timeline of Margate tragedy

The timeline of events in the lead-up to the tragic death of a little girl at a Kent beach has been revealed.

Six-year-old Dajahnel Young, known by her middle name Amazin, had been visiting Margate from London with family friends Cynthia and Roy Robinson on July 28 last year, when she was found dead in the water.

Amazin Young, who tragically died in Margate last summer
Amazin Young, who tragically died in Margate last summer

The couple, who had been caring for eight children aged 12 and below on the day of Amazin's death, were interviewed by police shortly after the little girl's death.

A week-long inquest at Sandwich Guildhall has heard how Amazin's mum Camille Remekie allegedly told the Robinsons "I don't want my baby going into the water", before they took her on the trip.

Mrs Robinson denied this claim on Tuesday, when she gave her account of the harrowing day.

But questions have been raised about the way in which Mrs Robinson responded to Amazin's disappearance.

It is known that Amazin last spoke to her mum during a video call at 2.04pm, in which she promised to bring home some "pretty stones".

Thousands of people were on Margate beach on the day of the tragedy Picture: Stock image (18497848)
Thousands of people were on Margate beach on the day of the tragedy Picture: Stock image (18497848)

Mrs Robinson claims to have then seen the youngster playing with an unknown girl of a similar age, though the exact time of her last sighting is unclear.

About 15 minutes later, at 2.19pm, Mrs Robinson began recording a video using her mobile phone.

In the footage, the 50-year-old pans around the tent area, before interacting cheerfully with four young children in her care sitting nearby.

She then leaves the children and begins walking towards the sea, appearing to say: "I'm walking to look for everyone else - but everyone's disappeared.

"I'm walking to find them. I don't see where any of them is."

Cynthia Robinson, pictured outside The Guildhall in Sandwich, where the inquest is taking place
Cynthia Robinson, pictured outside The Guildhall in Sandwich, where the inquest is taking place

Spotting her husband Roy and several other children along the shore, she adds: "Oh my Lord. Oh wow. I can't believe how far they are. All far, far away.

"The kids are really enjoying themselves."

She arrives at where Mr Robinson and the children are standing in the shallow water.

"You want to get food now? Are you hungry?" she appears to ask, before spotting one of the little girls returning to the water and terminating the video.

Speaking at the inquest, Mrs Robinson claimed she realised Amazin was missing while filming, and headed to the waterfront to find her along with the others.

Roy Robinson, pictured outside The Guildhall in Sandwich, where the inquest is taking place
Roy Robinson, pictured outside The Guildhall in Sandwich, where the inquest is taking place

But lawyers questioned why Mrs Robinson did not mention Amazin's name during the clip, and why she walked at a "relatively normal pace" towards the sea.

Laura Profumo, acting as counsel for Amazin's family on a pro bono basis, said: "What this video shows is no concern that a little girl in your care, who cannot swim, has suddenly disappeared."

The Robinsons claim to have started searching for Amazin immediately after the video ended, at approximately 2.23pm.

But it is not until 2.32pm that Mrs Robinson calls her daughter Siobhan - who had gone to get ice creams with her boyfriend and several other teens - to see if Amazin was with her.

Mrs Robinson approached a nearby lifeguard for help. While he made no note of the exact time he was approached by Mrs Robinson, it is thought to have been between 2.38pm and 2.43pm.

After logging the missing person with his supervisor, he took Mrs Robinson to search the beach and shoreline for Amazin.

But it was not until 3.18pm that a water search was begun by the RNLI, and 3.25pm that it contacted the coastguard.

By this time, the little girl's body had tragically already been found - though this was not known by the RNLI.

Eyewitness Harry Fright told how he and his wife were sitting on the harbour steps, when they noticed something just beneath the water's surface, about 50ft away from them, that "didn't look right".

"There was a lot of inflatable balls and different things all coming off the beach and blowing right into the harbour," he said.

"At one point my wife said 'that looks strange' and we both thought it was a deflated lilo or inflatable of some description.

"Then my wife said to me 'I'm sure I just saw hair' and about five minutes afterwards I said 'I'm sure I just saw feet'."

But thinking they had been mistaken, the couple watched "for at least half an hour" before Mr Fright walked down for a closer inspection.

Margate steps (18497858)
Margate steps (18497858)

"I realised it was a poor young girl," he said.

He immediately called the police, who rushed to the scene along with ambulance crews.

Lifeguard Jamie Hopper, who had by this time been sent to search for Amazin using a jet ski, was told to check on the commotion in the harbour. He arrived and carried out continuous CPR until paramedics arrived.

Amazin was found hypothermic and in cardiac arrest by critical care paramedics. They continued CPR, but she reportedly showed no signs of life or cardiac rhythm.

The little girl was rushed to the QEQM hospital in Margate, where a team of consultants and registrars worked desperately to save her.

Metropolitan Police blue-lighted her mum to the hospital, but Amazin was tragically pronounced dead at 4.53pm, before Camille reached her bedside.

Timeline of events

2.04pm - Camille Remekie facetimes her daughter, who is sitting on the beach with Mrs Robinson

2.19pm - Mrs Robinson begins filming a video that lasts about four minutes

2.32pm - Mrs Robinson calls her daughter Siobhan to check whether Amazin was with her

2.35pm - Mrs Robinson makes a call to Amazin's mum Camille, but the call failed

2.36pm - She calls her sister for several minutes

2.45pm - RNLI supervisor Stuart Cattell makes note of Amazin's disappearance in the lifeguard hut (this is thought to be several minutes after Mrs Robinson raised the alarm with a lifeguard)

3.13pm - Eyewitness Harry Fright, who was sitting on the beach steps with his wife, calls the police after spotting an item in the water that "didn't look right" and finding it to be the body of Amazin

3.15pm - A call is made to critical care paramedics

3.18pm - The RNLI begins a sea search using a jet ski, not knowing Amazin's body has been found

3.23pm - Critical care paramedics arrive at the scene

3.25pm - The Coastguard is contacted by the RNLI

3.28pm - Amazin's body temperature is taken by first responders

4.53pm - Amazin is pronounced dead by doctors at the QEQM hospital in Margate

Noise concerns

Yesterday, the court heard from some of the five RNLI lifeguards who had been on duty on Margate beach when Amazin died.

Lifeguard Harry Highgate-Royce, who was approached by a "very frantic" Mrs Robinson sometime before 2.45pm, told how he had tried to transmit the news to his supervisor by radio.

But due to exceptionally high levels of noise on the beach - where 6,500 people had congregated to enjoy the warm but windy summer's day - Mr Highgate-Royce was unable to convey the message.

Instead, he walked with Mrs Robinson to the lifeguard hut to tell his supervisor, who was already dealing with some of the 25 children who were lost on the beach on the day of Amazin's death.

The court heard this week how several large groups of people had gathered towards the back of the beach that day, and were playing music loudly over speakers.

Police and ambulance crews at Margate beach. Picture: Shannon Owen (18495026)
Police and ambulance crews at Margate beach. Picture: Shannon Owen (18495026)

But the RNLI said these events were "unofficial". As they had not been arranged with the council, the RNLI had not been able to arrange for extra staff or equipment.

Questions have been raised about the way in which the RNLI team dealt with the incident, waiting for about half-an-hour before contacting the Coastguard.

But Peter Dawes, who was lifesaving services manager for the RNLI at the time, today told the court he was confident it was dealt with correctly and in accordance with RNLI protocol.

He said that 1,700 children went missing on UK beaches in 2017, and confirmed that Amazin is the first child to go missing on a UK beach since at least 2006, to have died or not be found.

Mr Dawes also offered a suggestion as to where the little girl accessed the sea.

"Given the timings that have been given and the type of beach, I would think that Amazin probably entered the water very close to where she was found," he said.

He also pointed to several "drop-offs" in the sand, which "would have been potentially hazardous to a non-swimmer, and particularly a young child".

The inquest was adjourned until October 21 when His Honour coroner Alan Blunsdon, who has been presiding over the case, is expected to reach a conclusion.

For more information on why we cover inquests, click here

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