A 24-year-old woman died after falling from a bridge on the A379 in Exeter following a work event. Police investigated.
Emma, from Barnstaple, died on February 1. The incident occurred around 1:20 AM when she fell on the A379 near Sandy Park. Emma worked as an assistant site manager and was born in Colchester. A passerby was helping her on the bridge, they said.
The coroner, Alison Longhorn, spoke about the event. Emma had attended a work function at Sandy Park. People became worried when they saw her seemingly distressed on the bridge. The bridge was over the A379 road.
A person called for help and tried to assist Emma. Sadly, she slipped and fell onto the road below. Emergency teams arrived and declared her dead at the scene. There was nothing suspicious about the death, but the precise medical cause is yet unknown.
The inquest was delayed for a full hearing later. Police reported they were called around 12:45 AM on February 1. After Emma fell, a car hit her in what police described as a tragic accident.
Police arrested a 45-year-old man from Exmouth on suspicion of causing death by careless driving. He was later released while they completed their investigation. No further action will be taken against him; the investigation is now complete.
Police closed the road for hours during the investigation. Officers are seeking witnesses and dashcam footage of the incident.
In 2022, Emma was featured in a DevonLive story celebrating International Women’s Day. They praised her work in construction, where she was an apprentice at Vistry South West. Vistry builds homes for Bovis and Linden Homes.
Emma lived with her mom and dog, Cleo. She had overcome homelessness before and cared for her mom. She felt lucky to be where she was, admitting life had been a struggle.
She once worked as a delivery driver and managed maintenance at a park. Eager to open doors for herself, Emma took a plastering apprenticeship. She found it difficult waking up very early.
A teacher told her about bricklaying. Meeting Vistry’s CEO, Greg Fitzgerald, inspired her greatly. Soon after, she gladly accepted an apprenticeship at Vistry.
Emma considered her job ‘brilliant’ and expressed her gratitude. She enjoyed running, the gym, walking, and fixing her car. She someday wanted to work abroad and noticed bias as a woman in her field.
A teacher once said she couldn’t achieve as much as a man. It motivated her to prove him wrong and vowed to support other women. Now, people praise her work, and she appreciates the safe environment.