Four boys who fell through frozen Solihull lake when going to feed ducks died trying to save each other, inquest hears
- Brothers Samuel and Finlay Butler died along with their cousin Thomas Stewart
- Jack Johnson, ten years old, also died in the tragedy at Babbs Mill Lake in Solihull
Four boys playing on a frozen lake died after one of them plunged through the ice and the others fell in bravely trying to save him, an inquest heard.
Brothers Samuel Butler, six, and eight-year-old Finlay Butler died along with their cousin Thomas Stewart, 11, and Jack Johnson, ten, on December 11 last year after the incident at Babbs Mill Lake in Kingshurst, Solihull, near Birmingham.
An inquest heard all four fell into the freezing water as they played on the ice.
Birmingham Coroners Court was told Finlay plunged through the ice first before Thomas, Samuel and Jack fell in when they desperately tried to help him.
Witnesses described seeing the boys in the water screaming for help before they went under the surface during sub-zero temperatures.
Coroner Louise Hunt described the four deaths as a ‘devastating tragedy’ and has recorded a conclusion that the boys accidentally died from drowning.
Families have paid tribute to their ‘beautiful boys’. Pictured, brothers Finlay and Sam
Thomas, 11, died following the tragedy. He was a cousin of the brothers by his mother Rebecca, who is their father Daniel’s sister
Ten-year-old Jack Johnson was among the boys who lost their lives, with his aunt saying on Facebook that he ‘ran and tried to save’ three other children
Emergency services rushed to the scene at 2pm and police officers ignored safety advice to form a human chain and wade into the lake in a bid to rescue the boys.
Police used their hands to smash through the ice but were unable to find the boys for another 22 minutes until Jack, Tom and Sam were discovered underwater.
Finlay was recovered from the lake at around 3.05pm having been in the water for 32 minutes but nothing could be done to save any of the tragic youngsters.
The hearing was told all four boys had drowned.
Detective Chief Inspector James Edmonds, of West Midlands Police, told the inquest: ‘The location is known as Babbs Mill Lake. It’s a community-used facility, used by lots of people. It’s a fairly large lake.
‘This tragic incident involves a group of two children, the two groups didn’t know one another. They came across each other.
‘Jack was out playing. Jack and his friends were in the area of the skate park when they decided they wanted to go to the lake area to skim stones.
‘Jack and his group were the first to arrive at the lake area. They walked on to the surface of the lake, Jack’s gone a little bit further out.
‘An independent witness recalled seeing Jack on the ice. A short time later Tom, Fin and Sam arrived on the location. They have also entered on the surface of the lake.
‘Fin goes out a little bit further. They interact like children do. It’s apparent that Finlay was the first to fall in.
Ten-year-old Jack Johnson died after he tried to help
‘When they were found they were found toward the bottom of the lake.
‘In comparison to the waters edge, it was some distance out. Approximately 12 metres out.
‘Fin falling through the lake prompted Tom to go out to the lake and assist.. Tom then fell through the ice. Jack and Sam tried to save the other boys.’
The officer said witnesses recall boys in the water and them shouting.
He told how rescue workers formed a human chain to the location where they think the boys went under.
‘There’s an area of the ice where you can see it’s breaking away,’ he continued. ‘The medical advice would have [been] not to have entered the water.
‘There were a number of factors that affected that effort. The last person at the end of the chain, the water was up to his chin.
‘The air temperature was 5 degrees, but the water would have been much colder.
‘They used their hands to get through the ice.
‘At 2.50pm the fire service arrives. At 2.56pm Jack, Tom and Sam were found underwater.
‘They administer CPR on the side of the lake. At 3.05pm Fin was the last boy to be located in the water.’
Tributes that were left by mourners following the boys’ deaths
He added: ‘They’d gone to play on the ice. For reasons unbeknown the ice has broken away. It has become fragmented and that has resulted in the boys falling through the ice and into the freezing cold water.
‘The impacts of the water temperature would have significantly contributed to the boys being unable to stay afloat.
‘It’s a terrible tragedy, my heart and condolences goes out to the families.’
Area Commander Alex Shapland, of West Midlands Fire Service, said crews did all they could to rescue the boys who would have gone into shock.
He said: ‘We have a number of different water capabilities to affect water rescues.
‘The water was extremely cold. When you enter water of that temperature your body goes into shock where it makes it very difficult to function.
‘We could not have done any more in the time we had.’
Jason Wiles, consultant paramedic for emergency care for West Midlands Ambulance Service, conducted an internal review into the incident.
He said: ‘On that day it was very cold, there was a layer of ice across. Our paramedics don’t have dry suits or wet suits.
‘The first thing you don’t want is for the rescuers to become casualties.
‘Every boy had a paramedic-led ambulance and received advanced life support on scene and on the way to hospital.
‘I am satisfied all four boys received the best possible care.’
Earlier, Birmingham Coroner Louise Hunt read out family tributes to the four boys ahead of the hearing this morning.
The first, to Jack, read: ‘Jack has an amazing soul. He did everything he could to make everyone around him smile and they always did. Even on bad days he made you smile.’
Tom’s family statement read: ‘Tom was a kind boy, always had a smile on his face.
‘He loved going out on his bike and meeting his friends and making new friends at the park.
‘Tom will always be remembered and truly missed by all those who loved and knew him.’
On Monday, December 12, mourners lit candles next to floral and written tributes to the boys who tragically died in the incident in Babbs Mill Park
Finlay’s read: ‘Finlay was an eight-year-old boy full of character and loved by many. He loved the outdoors regardless of the weather.
‘He was excelling at school and loved problem solving, and Maths and reading books.
‘He liked Pokémon cards and swapping them with kids who didn’t have any. Him and Sam were inseparable.
‘Although he was shy and quiet to begin with, he would gain confidence. He was always happy to play with toys and use his imagination.
‘He loved dressing up regardless of the occasion. He was loved by his family and loved by his friends.
‘As his parents, we couldn’t be prouder of the young man he was becoming.’
Sam’s read: ‘Sam was the most independent six-year-old that you’ve ever met.
‘His two favourite things were Iron Man and fire engines. He was obsessed with fire engines, our very own fireman Sam.
‘He loved playing with friends and loved family gatherings.
‘Sam loved writing and always read loads to his teachers. Sam found new friends regardless of where he went.
‘He was obsessed with dogs and wanted his own sausage dog from Father Christmas. Sam was his own person at such a young age.’
The incident happened in Babbs Mill Park, near Kingshurst, just outside of Birmingham
Jack and Thomas both died at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital on December 11, while Finlay and Samuel both died at Birmingham Children’s Hospital on December 12 and December 14 respectively.
An initial inquest hearing, held in Birmingham on December 19, 2022, was told that three of the boys were rescued after 22 minutes in the water, while the fourth was pulled from the lake after 31 minutes.
West Midlands Police had been called by members of the public who reported four children who had been playing on the frozen lake had fallen through the ice and into the water.
West Midlands Fire Service and West Midlands Ambulance Service attended the scene along with police.
The children’s deaths prompted an outpouring of tributes from the community, with hundreds of tributes, cards, flowers, teddy bears, balloons and sweets left at a makeshift shrine in their memory in the days after the incident.
Recording a conclusion the boys accidentally died from drowning, Coroner Louise Hunt described the four deaths as a ‘devastating tragedy’.
She said: ‘Very sadly on December 11 last year, West Midlands Police were called to Babbs Mill lake to reports that boys had fallen through the ice in the lake. The water temperature was very cold.
‘We heard how Jack was playing with his friends and the skate park, then they walked around to where the tragedy occurred and Jack and his friends go onto the ice.
‘A short time later, Tom, Fin and Sam arrive in the area and they decide to go and feed the ducks.
‘Sadly Fin and Sam also went onto the ice. Fin had seemed to be chatting, making friends. Sadly Fin fell through the ice, some distance out, we now know it was 12 metres.
‘Tom tried to help but he fell in, Jack tried to help but he fell in. Sam also fell in but that wasn’t witnessed.
‘After a short period, they went under the water.
‘At 14.26 there is footage captured of the boys on the ice and a call to West Midlands Police at 14.34.
‘All services arrived quickly. On arrival police officers tried to make a human chain to get to the boys in the water. The ambulance services arrived on the scene to set up resuscitation.
‘At 14.50 the fire service arrived and specialist fire officers were able to enter the water immediately.
‘Three of the boys, Jack, Tom and Sam, were rescued. Fin was rescued at 15.05. Once he was rescued Jack did receive immediate resuscitation at the scene.
‘Sadly he remained in cardiac arrest. His core temperature was 24.3 degrees.. Unfortunately despite prolonged resuscitation he did not respond to the treatment and was pronounced dead. The cause of death is drowning.
‘In relation to Tom, he too was taken to the Heartlands Hospital. He had continuous resuscitation. A core temperature on arrival of 24.8 degress. the cause of death I should record is drowning.
‘Finlay we know was rescued slightly later, he was taken to the Birmingham Children’s Hospital with his brother Sam. His core temperature was 24 degrees. He had slightly different treatment.
‘Unfortunately he had suffered a brain injury as a result of being under the water. Major hemorrhage resulting in multi-organ dysfunction predominately caused by drowning.
‘Sam received resuscitation. He too was very cold at 24.3 degrees. Very sadly it became clear that he too had suffered a lack of oxygen under the water and that he would not survive.
‘Each boy died as a result of drowning.’
Addressing the boys’ families, she added: ‘All of these boys’ deaths are a devastating tragedy for you all.
‘I hope today has helped you have a better understanding of everything that has happened.’
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