Council responds after mother dies saving daughter in park

A Lancashire council updates the public after a mother died shielding her daughter when a tree branch fell in Witton Country Park.

Council responds after mother dies saving daughter in park

A death at Witton Country Park in Blackburn is being treated as a tragedy with a focus on safety and responsibility. Madia Kauser, 32, was walking with her five-year-old daughter and nine-year-old son when a large branch fell from a beech tree. She pushed her daughter to safety and took the full impact herself, the police said. Emergency services were unable to save her, while her children and husband, Wasim Khan, were nearby. The incident occurred around 8.30pm on Monday 11 August near the park’s Big Cover wood.

Blackburn with Darwen Council later announced that the tree had been felled and cordons were removed as the park remained open under safety checks. The council said it is gathering facts with police and the Health and Safety Executive, and that the coroner’s inquest will consider all findings from independent investigations. A police spokesperson stated the death is not being treated as suspicious. The family is being supported, and relatives are receiving assistance as the community mourns the loss of a mother who acted to protect her children.

This incident exposes the tension between keeping public spaces open and ensuring they are safe. It shows how local authorities must balance quick action on potential hazards with a formal process that may take weeks or months. The coroner’s inquest and the involvement of the Health and Safety Executive signal that the full circumstances will be scrutinized, regardless of the heartbreaking personal cost. For the community, the tragedy raises questions about maintenance budgets, tree health monitoring, and the speed of safety inspections in popular parks.

At a human level, the story highlights the fragility of family routines in public places and the way communities respond with support and shared grief. The visibility of relatives and local figures in the coverage underscores how such events become a test of local trust in government and in the care networks that surround families in distress. The balance between openness about investigations and safeguarding sensitive details will matter for public confidence moving forward.

Highlights

A community will watch how safety concerns translate into policy actions at Witton and beyond.