16-year-old Daisy House dies after incident at Loughton Underground Station; family pays tribute

A 16-year-old girl died after an incident at Loughton Underground Station in Essex on December 15, and police say the death is not being treated as suspicious. British Transport Police were called to the Central line station at around 2:30 p.m. after reports of a casualty on the tracks. Despite the efforts of emergency services, Daisy House died later in hospital the same day. Transport for London temporarily suspended travel between Epping and Woodford while officers and paramedics secured the scene and conducted initial assessments.

The teenager’s family released a statement describing Daisy as a “bright, beautiful, clever and funny” girl who had just started Sixth Form and who, they said, had her whole future ahead of her. Accompanying an image of Daisy, they wrote that she would be deeply missed and thanked the emergency services and healthcare workers who attended to her, including a British Transport Police officer and paediatric nurses who treated the family with kindness. They also expressed gratitude for the many messages, flowers and well wishes they had received and asked for privacy as they come to terms with their loss.

The British Transport Police said the death is not being treated as suspicious and that officers are preparing a file for the coroner ahead of an inquest. Investigators have not released a cause of death, and the family’s statement did not specify any circumstances surrounding the incident beyond the reported casualty on the tracks. The force indicated that its officers would continue to support the coroner’s process and provide updates as appropriate.

In the wider context of Loughton station’s operations, the December incident followed a separate, unrelated event at the same station earlier in the year. On February 24, a person was pronounced dead after a medical emergency at Loughton, with the station briefly closed while emergency services responded and a four-hour service disruption affected travel between Leytonstone and Epping. Police at the time said they were not treating that death as suspicious. The two incidents underscore the ongoing challenges of ensuring safety and rapid response on busy urban transport routes, where a single incident can affect hundreds of commuters.

While authorities pursue the coroner’s review, families in communities served by London’s transport network remain reliant on routine services and the efficiency of emergency responses. Officials have urged anyone with information related to the December incident to come forward to assist investigators, though no description of any potential suspect or involved individuals has been released publicly.

The station remained part of a broader network of transit services that continue to operate under regular schedules, with authorities emphasizing that service adjustments are made as needed to ensure safety. The public is reminded that investigative timelines can extend beyond initial reports, and authorities will provide updates as they become available. Daisy House’s family has asked for privacy while they grieve, a request that is being respected by officials and the public alike.