A WOMAN flung from her mother's arms as a child, when they were hit by a car, died as a result of the tragedy 19 years later, an inquest heard.

Hayley Louise Hunter was two when she and her mum, Sharron, suffered terrible injuries in the accident in Gaisby Lane, Windhill, after stepping out from behind a parked bus.

Glynn Moss, the driver of the car, was at Miss Hunter's inquest yesterday which heard how the child went on to develop learning difficulties and post traumatic epilepsy. She died on April 28 last year after having a fit in bed.

Miss Hunter's mother, who now lives in Brantcliffe Drive, Baildon, hugged Mr Moss during an emotional break in the hearing, telling him it was the epilepsy, not him, to blame for the death. Mr Moss said the accident had ripped him apart.

Mrs Hunter told Bradford Coroner's Court she was so badly injured she had no real recollection of what happened that day, other than she was on her way home and had chocolate in her pocket.

"Apart from that, I just remember getting hit by the car and Hayley flying out of my arms," she said.

The inquest heard how Mr Moss, who now lives in Newcastle, had been charged with aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving after the accident in November 1996, but was acquitted by a crown court jury with no case to answer.

He had been returning the car to its owner after repairing it when the accident happened. A message left on his phone by the owner helped clear him of the vehicle taking charge.

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Giving evidence, he told the coroner: "As I was passing the bus, someone stepped out from the back of it. I had no chance of stopping. I didn't know I'd hit two people until later. The car was veering off the road and there were other people stood at a bus stop on the other side so I couldn't stop there, but I did a bit further down the road. When the police turned up I told them I'd been driving the car."

Bradford Coroner Martin Fleming found Miss Hunter, who lived in Midland Road, Frizinghall, and was 14-weeks pregnant, died as a result of the road accident. He said it was more likely than not the trauma had brought on the mother-of-one's post traumatic epilepsy.

Forensic pathologist Dr Brian Rogers, who conducted Miss Hunter's post mortem examination, told the inquest something had happened to her to change her from the little girl she was, and it was possible it had been the accident. He also said the level of anti-epilepsy medication in her system was very low and would not have been enough to control fits.

The day before her death,Miss Hunter had been for a pregnancy scan and come away with pictures, happy at the thought of having a little brother or sister for her son.

A statement read out for her partner, Dale Smith, who also has learning disabilities, described how Miss Hunter was kicking out at him and twitching for about 30 minutes before he went to sleep the night before her death.

He thought she was having a nightmare but when he woke later and found her not breathing he rang an ambulance. Doctors at Bradford Royal Infirmary thought she had been dead for some time. A thorough police investigation found no suspicious circumstances.

Pathologist Dr Rogers told the hearing: "What concerns me was the description of Hayley kicking out. To me it sounds like a seizure rather than a nightmare."

Mr Fleming said he was satisfied with Dr Roger's view.

"It's more likely than not that as a result of the traffic collision, she developed post traumatic epilepsy from which she passed away," he added.

After the inquest, Mrs Hunter said the death had left a huge gap in the family, which included step-dad, Chris Blackburn, who officially adopted Miss Hunter on her 18th birthday.

"Hayley was a bright, wonderful, outgoing young woman who loved being top dog and did her best to overcome her moderate learning disabilities," she said.

"She won medals for sport, had a yellow belt for judo, loved going out, loved socialising, enjoyed trips to Blackpool with her family, going to bikers' weekends and buying clothes - especially anything with tigers and leopards. She was loved by everyone who knew her."