A seven-year-old girl who died after being crushed by an tree in a park in Essex has been named as Leonna Ruka.
Little Leonna, from Dagenham in east London, had been visiting family in Southend-on-Sea when she and several other children were trapped underneath a tree that partially collapsed after reportedly being held up with metal struts.
In a statement issued by Essex Police, the girl’s family said she had been the ‘light of their lives and in the lives of everyone who had the joy of meeting her’.
A photograph was issued of the tragic youngster, showing her smiling, her hair tied in twin pigtails with pink ribbons.
‘It is with broken hearts and unimaginable pain that we share the devastating loss of our beloved daughter Leonna – our beautiful, bright, and loving little girl, taken from us far too soon,’ her family said.
‘Leonna was more than just a child – she was a light in our lives and in the lives of everyone who had the joy of meeting her.
‘She was an intelligent and curious soul, full of energy and creativity. A little girl who was always exploring, always asking questions, always dreaming.
‘She had a heart full of love and a mind full of endless ideas. She was funny, kind, and full of life – a shining star who brought happiness wherever she went and she met.Â
‘She was the kind of girl who gave love without asking for anything in return. She was perfect – too perfect for a world that can be so cruel and unfair.
‘Leonna had so many dreams – dreams that now remain unfinished. We will never stop wondering who she would have become, but we will forever carry who she was.’
Leonna Ruka, seven, from Dagenham, died following an incident at Chalkwell Park in Southend-on-Sea on Saturday
Leona had been playing with friends in Chalkwell Park when the tree partially collapsed onto her and four other children, three of whom escaped serious injury
Tributes were left to Leonna by well-wishing members of the public in another area of Chalkwell Park
The tragedy unfolded at around 3pm on Saturday June 28 at Chalkwell Park in front of horrified witnesses, including members of her family.
Dozens of people ran to try to lift the tree off of the youngsters – including members of the local Westcliff Cricket Club.
She had been visiting family in Essex at the time. Eyewitnesses previously described how they would ‘never forget the screams’ as they saw a tree ‘split and fall to the ground’.
Emergency services including an air ambulance rushed to the park and Leonna was taken to hospital with critical injuries. Despite the best efforts of medics, and members of the public who raced to help, she was later pronounced dead.Â
A six-year-old girl remains in hospital in a critical injury, while three other children were treated for minor injuries.
Her family added: ‘We would like to take this moment to thank everyone who has supported us – our family, our friends, our community, and all those who stood with us in Southend and beyond.
‘Your kindness, your prayers, and your presence have meant more than we could ever express. In our deepest sorrow, you reminded us that we are not alone.
‘Leonna will live forever in our hearts – in every laugh, every sunbeam, every act of kindness we see in the world. We were so lucky to have had her, even if only for a short time.
‘Thank you for holding her in your hearts.’
Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of how the tree in Chalkwell Park came to collapse, as a senior councillor confirmed it had been propped up by supports for ‘decades’.
James Courtenay, Conservative group leader on Southend-on-Sea City Council, told the BBC he had memories of playing near the tree as a child in the 1990s. It had once been propped up with wooden beams that were later upgraded to metal.
‘When I was a child I remember it having wooden supports back in the 1990s,’ he said.
‘It really must have taken half the cricket team with others to move it. It’s absolutely huge branches for a tree that’s hundreds of years old.’
The tree had been propped up with supports (visible on the right of the image) for several years – potentially decades
The devastating scene of the collapsed tree at Chalkwell Park that killed little Leonna Ruka
An air ambulance was called to the scene on Saturday and Leonna was rushed to hospital – but tragically could not be saved
Inspector Jane Childs of Essex Police laid flowers in Chalkwell Park on Monday on behalf of the local force
Essex Police assistant chief constable Lucy Morris said her officers, like many others, were ‘struggling to come to terms with what happened’
Piano showroom owner Adam Ramet, previously told MailOnline he could remember the cedar tree being propped up when he was young.
He said: ‘I’m 54, I’ve known it since I was a toddler, you can see it in old Edwardian postcards, it’s been there that long.
They’re all young kids who are just playing around, running over the grass underneath the tree like everybody has done when they were a kid in that park.
‘It’s a park that if you’re local, you grew up there, it’s part of your life.
‘There would have been lots of people and families there, there would have been lots of people who’ve been very seriously traumatised.’
He said of park staff: ‘I’m sure they will be absolutely devastated.’ He believes the tree may have been up to 200 years old.
Southend Council has said it will co-operate with the investigation, which is being led by police but also involves the Health and Safety Executive.
Councillor Daniel Cowan, Labour leader of Southend-on-Sea City Council, told MailOnline on Sunday: ‘This was a devastating incident and our heartfelt thoughts remain with the family, those injured, and everyone affected.
‘We understand the strength of feeling locally surrounding this tragedy.
‘The police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances around the collapse of the tree, and we want thorough answers so it would be inappropriate for the council to comment further or pre-empt their findings at this time.
‘Our focus must be on supporting the community and allowing the investigation to provide the answers we all need.’
Assistant Chief Constable Lucy Morris of Essex Police said her officers’ hearts were ‘break(ing) for Leonna and her family’.
On Monday, police joined other emergency services to lay their own tributes and pay respects to Leonna after her death was confirmed on Sunday.
Representatives of Essex Fire and Rescue lay flowers for Leonna Ruka at Chalkwell Park on Monday
Workers at the scene of the tragic tree collapse on Saturday, which happened at around 3pm
Dozens of people rushed to try to help lift the tree after it collapsed – and were commended for their courage by police and locals
‘To lose a child in any circumstance is unthinkable – to lose a child in this terrible way defies all belief,’ she said.
‘Everyone – from my officers and staff, to ambulance, fire and council colleagues, to the public of Southend and across the country – is struggling to come to terms with what happened on Saturday.
‘The actions of those in the park who immediately did all they could to help are a continual reminder of the true spirit of the city of Southend.
‘I thank everyone for the overwhelming messages of support for the families impacted.Â
It is understandable that speculation follows in the wake of such a tragic incident. There is a full and independent police investigation underway. This will take time.
‘We will update on the outcome of these enquiries as soon as we possibly can.’
ACC Morris has pleaded with the public not to speculate as to how the tree came to collapse – warning of how ‘harmful’ such discourse can be during an investigation.Â
‘There will be a time and a place for the facts around what led to this incident to be explored in a public forum,’ she added.
‘Our investigation is still at a relatively early stage and, as desperately as people want answers, I’d please urge patience.’
