Mum of girl killed in Ingoldmells caravan fire 'let down' after call for prosecutions fails

• Video report by Emma Hayward

The mother of a toddler who died in a caravan fire says she feels "let down by the system" after being told no-one will face prosecution.

Two-year-old Louisiana Brooke Dolan, from Newark, suffered fatal injuries when a blaze broke out while she was staying with her family at Sealands Caravan Park near Skegness in August 2021.

Her mother, Natasha Broadley, said the caravan did not have a smoke detector and she had asked for the boiler to be checked several times before the incident.

Three years later, she has now been told that there will be no criminal charges.

"I feel absolutely let down by the system again," she said.

"I've been [living in] hope all this time, only for then a letter to be posted through my door to say there won't be [any] criminal charges."

Miss Broadley, who described her daughter as "the funniest little character", was in the bathroom of the caravan on the day of the fire when her eldest daughter said she could smell smoke.

She managed to save her three other children, but the smoke meant she was unable to find her youngest daughter.

An inquest into Louisiana's death found the fire started in the boiler cupboard, but it could not be determined if the boiler had caused it.

In August 2022 Lincolnshire Police dropped its criminal investigation.

Ms Broadley later met the fire minister Chris Philp and her MP, Robert Jenrick, to call for support for her campaign on caravan safety.

She said she hoped it would lead to the case being reopened.

But Newark MP and shadow justice secretary Mr Jenrick has now written to Miss Broadley to tell her criminal investigations had concluded.

Miss Broadley said: "I sat the letter on the side for half and hour because I didn't know if it was going to be good or bad, but then I just undid it and it was like I've just been kicked right back down again.

"There's just been no justice... I am destroyed but my children keep me going every day but they are suffering - but I've got to keep them going every day."

Mr Jenrick said he felt "deeply disappointed" by the news.

"I know that this will be painful for Natasha, who deserves justice and the knowledge this couldn't happen again," he said.

"I will be writing to the Attorney General requesting this is reconsidered. My thoughts are with Natasha and her whole family as they continue to deal with the challenges of this truly heartbreaking tragedy."

Laver Leisure Holiday Home Park, which owns the site where Louisiana died, previously said it was supporting calls by Miss Broadley for improved caravan safety.

In a statement the company said: "We think it is fundamental that guests hiring from holiday home owners can have the peace of mind that high safety standards are incorporates into the holiday home they are staying in.

"On our parks, all home owners are required to have a gas test every year and an electricity test every three years."

The company said it had "reviewed and expanded' on what it believes should be included within the gas test certification.

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