Aisling's mum happy safety issues fixed

Aisling Symes. Photo / Supplied

Angela and Alan Symes embraced and wept as the coroner closed his inquest into the death of their 2-year-old daughter.

It has been three gruelling days for the couple as they sat through evidence detailing Aisling's death in October 2009.

The couple heard how, despite numerous complaints to the council about the manhole cover popping, no long-term fix had been made.

The build-up of water pressure in the drain had popped the manhole cover and it is likely Aisling stepped on it, causing it to tilt like a trapdoor.

She fell in and was swept 36m down a stormwater pipe. A post-mortem examination found that it was likely she drowned.

Seven days later, firefighters and police found Aisling's body.

Mrs Symes told the Weekend Herald she was comforted that some of the issues raised during the inquest had already been addressed.

"Basically, from our point of view, things are in place and it wont happen again," Mrs Symes said.

"I'm somewhat comforted that things have already been done without waiting for the inquest. Everyone who had involvement has looked at things."

Mrs Symes gave a written statement to the coroner describing how the tragedy unfolded.

Aisling wandered off with the family dog, Duke, while her mother cleaned her deceased parent's home.

She had only turned her back for one or two minutes but in that short time, Aisling had gone.

Mrs Symes rushed outside, calling her daughter's name. She asked her other daughter, 5-year-old Caitlin, to check the yard.

"Duke arrived at this time. I don't know where the dog came from."

Mrs Symes shot up the driveway towards the road. After frantic searching with neighbours' help, Aisling could not be found and Mrs Symes called police.

She described her daughter as an "adventurous, bold, little girl".

"She is very mischievous and a little tease. She is a very happy child. She has a love for ducks, water and there is not much she is scared of."

The inquest heard yesterday from council staff who said 175 manhole covers that were susceptible to popping had been identified.

Auckland Council's manager of environment infrastructure, John Dragicevich, said fitting each drain with a safety grill would cost $650.

He said fitting all manholes across Auckland would cost about $70 million but the council was looking only at those that posed problems.

Retired civil engineer Brian Kouvelis prepared a report into the stormwater infrastructure of Auckland and made a number of recommendations to the coroner.

He said Aisling's death was the first of its kind in Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

But only this year a 5-year-old fell down a manhole in Christchurch. Her mother was able to rescue her.

"She was 5m in front of her parents and she literally disappeared in front of their eyes," Mr Kouvelis said.

He said Christchurch City Council had since secured all manhole lids.

Auckland Council was asked what work had been done on the drain since the tragedy.

Spokesman Glyn Walters said: "A number of improvements have been made including replacing the lid and installing a larger pipe."

Coroner Garry Evans has reserved his decision.