A four-month-old baby from
Britain killed in a tragic crash after a car mounted a pavement and ploughed into crowds in Lanzarote has been named. Little Harper Ayton died in Monday evening's horrifying collision at the Playa Blanca resort on the Canary island, while parents Alex Chadkirk and Timothy Ayton and maternal grandparents Andrea and Derek Chardkirk were also both injured. Harper's dad Timothy and grandmother Andrea were the most seriously hurt, authorities on the island said. New mum Alex, 28, from South Shields, Tyne and Wear, was hurt in the crash after Olivia Brown’s Ford Fiesta mounted the pavement and careered into her and her baby girl. Harper, whose mum proudly showed off her baby daughter in adorable photos following her birth last November, died at the scene despite the efforts of paramedics to save her. The tot’s dad Timothy Ayton, 40, was rushed to a nearby hospital intensive care unit along with Alex’s mum Andrea Chadkirk. Alex’s dad Derek was also hospitalised though with less serious injuries. A further two
Women from Sweden, reportedly a mother and her daughter, were also hurt. Officials also confirmed on Tuesday that the driver of the car was a 23-year-old
British woman named in court as Olivia Brown who was tested for drink and drugs. She has not formally been charged with any crime. Olivia Brown appeared in court on Thursday Brown is accused of being drunk and on drugs when the crash happened Brown, a resident on the island, appeared in court in Arrecife on Thursday but was unable to give evidence after suffering an anxiety attack. If convicted, she could face up to 25 years in
prison. Authorities in the nearby town of Yaiza held a minute's silence on Tuesday in respect of the victims of Monday's crash. Recruitment education worker Alex was with her daughter and family as they headed back to their holiday villa on Monday evening when they were hit by the Ford Fiesta. The mum had recently shared snaps of her newborn in a white woolly hat and she and partner Timothy clasped their hands together to hold her. A friend who also gave birth recently posed for a snap with Alex in September last year at a baby shower while they were pregnant and said: "I can't wait for our babies to grow up together." Grandparents Andrea and Derek Chadkirk ( Image: SOLARPIX.COM) The driver of the car that hit them, named as Brown, is believed to be originally from Glasgow although she moved to Lanzarote as a child. Her first scheduled court appearance had to be suspended yesterday when she suffered a panic attack after being smuggled into the building past waiting press by police. A spokesman for the judge presiding the private hearing at a court in Arrecife said after the suspension yesterday: “The suspect has appeared this morning before Arrecife Court of Investigation Number One, but has not been able to testify due to an anxiety attack. The forensic examiner has ruled that she was not in a fit state to make a statement, so an attempt will be made in the near future. “For the time being she has been provisionally released as the suspected author of a crime of manslaughter and another of driving under the influence of alcohol, toxic drugs, narcotics or psychotropic substances under article 379.2 of the Spanish penal code. As precautionary measures, she has the obligation to sign on at court on the 1st and 15th of each month, she has had to surrender her passport and she has been banned from leaving national territory.” The scene of Monday night's tragedy ( Image: SOLARPIX.COM) Town hall officials said in a statement in the aftermath of Monday’s accident she appeared to be under the influence of drink and drugs as they confirmed a British baby had died and four relatives including her parents and maternal grandparents had been injured. Yaiza town mayor Oscar Noda said: “Two people from Sweden, a mother and daughter, were hurt. Four people from the
UK were injured along with the baby that died. The mother and father of the youngster are among the injured as well as the baby’s two maternal grandparents. The father of the baby and the baby’s grandmother are the most seriously injured.” He added: “The driver is not being held in custody at the moment. She lives on the island and is easily locatable. The drink and drug tests were practiced at the scene.” Mum Alex pictured while pregnant alongside a friend ( Image: SOLARPIX.COM) “The accident caused seven victims, including the five-year-old baby that died. The survivors came from two families, one from
Sweden and the other of British origin. “They are the parents of the child that died and the baby’s maternal grandparents. The ones in the worst condition this morning are the baby’s father and maternal grandmother. All the survivors are still in hospital. We hope they all recover.” He added: “I am going to declare two days of mourning and tomorrow at midday a minute’s silence will be held at the doors of the town hall. The British family were walking along the pavement in a correct and normal way when they were mown down by a vehicle that was totally out of control. The moments that followed were very delicate and very traumatic.” Brown is said to have been travelling from her home to work when she crashed. She is believed to work at a local hotel. Officials have revealed the British family mown down were heading from a supermarket to their holiday villa when they were hit. The female driver told
police at the scene the steering on her car had blocked and the vehicle is being tested to see if there could have been any mechanical failures. She wasn’t formally arrested or held in a police cell following the incident. A source close to the ongoing investigation said before Brown’s suspended court hearing yesterday: “She has locked herself in her house and switched her phone off. Like the crash victims, she has also been offered professional help to assist her in dealing with the enormity of what has happened.” More than a dozen bouquets of flowers and several teddy bears have been left by well-wishers at the crash scene. One note pinned to a bouquet said: 'For a five month old little angel'. Another message said: 'RIP baby girl. Love and prayers to your family'.