Scottish girl, six, dies after stair fall on holiday island

A SCOTTISH schoolgirl has died two days before her seventh birthday after falling down stairs during a family holiday in Tenerife.

Heather Kennedy lost her fight for life on Tuesday, four days after being taken to hospital with head injuries following the accident at her family’s rented apartment on the Spanish island.

She had been in intensive care since losing her footing and falling from stairs near the door to the first-floor flat as she ran to meet relatives.

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Her mother, Agnes, 50, from Chapelhall, North Lanarkshire, raised the alarm after the youngster’s uncle Joshua found her lying unconscious moments after her fall.

Heather’s father Richard, 46, a car salesman, had flown out to Tenerife after being told about the accident, which happened at about 7pm last Friday at the resort of Playa de las Americas.

Police questioned the family after being called to hospital by doctors as a matter of routine, but concluded Heather had died in an accident. She was due to celebrate her seventh birthday today before flying home.

Last night, her grandfather James Kennedy, 73, of Airdrie, said the family was too upset to discuss the tragedy.

Michelle McMullen, headteacher at Alexandra Primary School in Airdrie, paid tribute to Heather, who was a primary three pupil.

She said: “Our school community is deeply saddened by the loss of Heather. Words fail us.

“Heather was a wonderful pupil and a beautiful child. Although she was small in stature she had a big personality with a beautiful smile to match. She lit up a room when she entered it and the schoolyard for that matter, in the midst of 270 children.

“Everyone knew Heather, everyone loved Heather. We are privileged Heather has touched our lives, she will always live in our hearts. Our thoughts are with her family at this very sad and extremely difficult time.”

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Neighbours of the Kennedys also paid tribute. One said: “We were all told about it shortly after it happened and that Richard was flying out because he couldn’t get time off work for the holiday.

“As far as I know, the family were over in Tenerife for a break for a few days. They were due to come home not long after the accident.

“We were all hoping and praying she would pull through but we found out earlier that she had passed away.

“Everyone in the street that knew Heather has been left devastated by what’s happened. It’s so tragic.”

Another resident said: “You would always see Heather out in the summer playing with all the children in the street. There are a lot of kids round here and a lot of them will be so upset to hear what has happened.

“She was a tiny wee girl and you would always see her with a massive smile on her face.

“I can’t begin to imagine what the family are going through.”

Heather is believed to have fallen from a low wall by a spiral staircase between floors.

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She was transferred to a hospital in the island’s capital, Santa Cruz, after doctors discovered she had cracked her skull in four places.

Heather was kept in intensive care at Our Lady of Candelaria University Hospital over the weekend, but died on Tuesday morning.

The family have stayed on the island to make arrangements to repatriate her body.

A spokesman for the national police in Tenerife said: “This was a tragic accident.”

A Foreign Office spokesman added: “We have been notified of the death of a British national in Santa Cruz, Tenerife, and we stand ready to provide consular assistance to the family.”