Joshua Aldred

Joshua Aldred, of Lytham St Annes, near Blackpool, in Lancashire, was found dead in his bedroom
within minutes of "having a strop" about doing his homework.

His death came 11 weeks after his mother, Sarah, 42, died from breast cancer and three months before
the first anniversary of his grandfather dying in a hospice.

The coroner for Blackpool, Anne Hind, said: "In nearly 20 years I think it is the saddest story I
have ever heard".

She told the child's remaining family: "We know Joshua missed his mummy very much, but he was coping
very well. He was going on with his life and his school marks had not deteriorated.

"I have heard the tragedies that have beset this family. Within a year Jason Aldred has lost his
father, his beloved wife and his only child. Mrs Aldred has lost her husband and grandson. This is a
terrible, terrible tragedy. I cannot tell you how my heart has gone out to you and how I have prayed
for you."

Mrs Hind acknowledged that Joshua had intended to hang himself, but recorded a verdict of death by
misadventure on the grounds that he had not understood the consequences of his actions."

The child's father, Jason, 41, said he thought his only child had slipped a tie over his bed rail
"because he missed his mother's hugs".

He was too upset to give evidence in person. Instead, he sat crying in the courtroom has his
statement was read out.

Mr Aldred, an IT architect, recalled how the family decided against hiding news of his wife's
illness from their son.

Four years ago she learned that as well as breast cancer she had developed cancer of the skin. Her
condition meant that doctors had to remove her ovaries.

"This was when Josh asked Sarah and myself if he could have a brother or a sister. We told him why
he couldn't."

In the summer of 2006 Mr Aldred's father, John, was admitted to a hospice. Joshua visited him there
but seemed to cope with the situation. He attended his funeral when he died the following
September.

Six months later, on March 17, Joshua lost his mother when she developed first cellulitis and later
septicaemia.

"I decided to let him finish his school day as normal," said his father. "At 4.30pm I picked him up
and we took him to Fairhaven Lake. I told him that his mum had died that day. He sat on my knee and
we both cried."

That evening the little boy attended football training as normal. "It may have been then that he
said he missed his mother's hugs," said his father.

Over the next few weeks Joshua occasionally awoke during the night, and on two occasions slept in
his father's bed. At his mother's funeral he appeared no more upset than the rest of the family.

He seemed to carry on as "a normal, happy, well-adjusted little boy", and became excited at the
prospect of he and his father going sailing around the Mediterranean for two years.

But on June 5 he had a "strop" with his grandmother when she insisted he did his homework rather
than watch television.

He eventually stormed off to his bedroom. Mrs Aldred let him go, intending to let him cool off
before sitting down with him so they could talk about it.

About five minutes later she went upstairs and found him lying dead beside his bed.