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An 11-year-old girl who drowned in the River Thames had jumped in to retrieve her friend's shoe, an inquest has heard.
Kaliyah Coa disappeared after entering the water at Barge House Causeway in east London on March 31, last year.
Her body was recovered two weeks later following an extensive search operation by emergency services and the coastguard on April 13.
During an inquest at the East London Coroner's Court on Thursday attended by her parents, grandmother, uncle, and aunts, the death was recorded as accidental.
Coroner Graeme Irvine concluded Kaliyah died from immersion in the River Thames.
He said: 'It seems to me that the only short-form conclusion I can give is accidental death.'
Mr Irvine admitted he understood the family wanted answers as Kaliyah had been staying at a friend's house for a sleepover at the time of her death.
But he said his role was not to apportion blame - adding, 'I know it is not the answer you wanted to hear'.
The coroner's court heard Kaliyah had attended a birthday party the day before her death, before asking her father if she could stay for a sleepover.
In a statement read at the hearing, Mr Coa said he had initially been against the sleepover because it would have been the first time Kaliyah had stayed at the address.
However, after speaking with the other child's father, he agreed.
He said: 'I didn't want to spoil the fun, so I said it was okay.'
The inquest heard the children made themselves breakfast the following morning before going to a nearby park.
Later, they made their way to Barge House Causeway beside the River Thames.
The court heard Kaliyah spoke to her father while she was near the river.
Mr Coa said she told him she was near the Thames, adding he would have been 'more relieved' if she had gone to a nearby park instead.
He said Kaliyah asked if she could 'dip her toes' in the water.
Mr Coa's statement said that he 'reminded her that where she was, was not a beach.'
He said he raised his voice and told his daughter to move away from the water, with Kaliyah replying: 'Pops, I know about the currents.'
Mr Coa said he initially thought Kaliyah being near the river 'was a joke.'
He later added: 'I was now angry that no adult from the house told me they were outside.'
The court heard Nathan Guy, who lived overlooking the jetty, called 999 after witnessing what happened.
In a statement read to the court, Mr Guy said he saw five children playing near the jetty.
He heard one child say: 'You made me throw it.'
The inquest heard one of the children had lost a shoe in the river and Kaliyah tried to help retrieve it.
Mr Guy said Kaliyah used a scooter to try to reach the shoe before another child told her: 'It's too expensive, don't use that.'
He told police: 'I saw the girl by the river. I called 999 and went back to the door and saw the girl struggling in the water.
'I turned away then I saw her head under the water.'
Mr Guy said the weather was sunny and there was no obstruction to his view.
Mr Irvine said there was no evidence of hostility between the children and described what happened as 'play.'
He added there was no evidence of deliberate bullying or any 'dark intent.'
The coroner said: 'These were children who were friends. It is a testament to Kaliyah as a confident and helpful and kind child that she tried to help her friend.'
After a search operation, Kaliyah's body was recovered from the Thames on April 13, 2025.
Professor Alan Bates, the coroner's pathologist and forensic medical expert, found Kaliyah was a 'perfectly healthy child' with no significant injuries to suggest that she had been assaulted.
He concluded her cause of death was immersion after water was found in her airways and lungs.
The coroner said there was no evidence of anything suspicious related to Kaliyah's death.
Mr Irvine said the other children should not be criticised for not entering the water to rescue Kaliyah - as there is 'no Good Samaritan law' in England and Wales.
He added that entering the Thames would have been dangerous due to the currents and conditions.
The court heard Kaliyah's family had questions about why they were not informed that the children had left the house to go to the park.
Mr Irvine said he understood the family wanted answers but said he was not there to apportion blame.
He added: 'I know it is not the answer you wanted to hear.'
The coroner said allowing children to play without adult supervision was a difficult parenting issue but said there was no criticism from police or safeguarding agencies.
He said: 'It was at an age where, incrementally, freedom is given to children.'
Concluding the inquest, Mr Irvine said: 'I very much recognise that my role in this inquest is to be judge. Sometimes, that may come across as stern or uncaring.
'This is a case that has haunted me from the moment I received it in April 2025. I see this as a tragic accident.
'The circumstances of Kaliyah's death were completely unexpected. The shock that the family must have felt must have seriously impacted their grief.
'I want to offer my sincere condolences to all of Kaliyah's family and friends. Please accept my condolences.'
Kaliyah's family have since set up a GoFundMe page as they navigate the 'heartbreaking loss'.
The 11-year-old's aunt, Jade-Leanne Coa, said: 'There are no words that can truly capture the depth of our sorrow.
'Kaliyah was the light of our lives - full of warmth, laughter, and so much love. The pain of her absence is indescribable, but the love she inspired in others, including so many of you, is something we will always hold close.
'In time, we hope to share more about how we will honor her memory. For now, we are taking things moment by moment, leaning on the love you’ve shown us, and holding each other close in our grief.'
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