Michael Sousa Inquest Told Of Fatal Fall At Norwich College

A 12-year-old boy suffered a fatal 20ft (6m) fall after trying to slide down a banister at school, an inquest heard....
Michael Sousa died in hospital eight days after suffering severe head injuries at Jane Austen College in Norwich in January.

An inquest in Norwich into the Year 7 pupil's death heard he was warned about sliding down banisters on the day of the fatal fall.

The fall happened on the day after his 12th birthday, the inquest heard.

Det Sgt Peter Wilson told the hearing at Norfolk Coroner's Court it appeared Michael fell from the third floor of the stairwell to the bottom.
He said at the time of the accident Michael was wearing a "full and... quite heavy" backpack.
Police identified three children who were believed to have key evidence, and they were interviewed by specialist officers away from a police station.

The children interviewed gave differing accounts of what happened.

One claimed Michael was accidentally knocked by a student but this was not corroborated by other pupils.
'Not appropriate'

Det Sgt Wilson added: "Michael wasn't a big lad and it's a standard-size rucksack.

"It was quite heavy and I would expect if Michael was to try to slide down the banister he would have had to make a small leaping motion and the bag would rise up.

"I believe the bag has caused that unbalance that has caused Michael to fall over the banisters."

Jamie Turner, a modern languages teacher at the secondary school, told the inquest he saw Michael sliding down banisters earlier in the day.

"I told him it's not appropriate," he said.

"I asked him to go back up to the first floor and walk down in the proper way. He reluctantly did do that."