A sad incident occurred on Sunday, December 11, when four boys fell in an icy lake near Solihull in the West Midlands.
Sky News reported, “A search is continuing after unconfirmed reports up to six children may have fallen in, but authorities warned it is ‘no longer a search and rescue operation.”
“The four children were all in cardiac arrest when rescue teams pulled them out. They were taken to hospital, but police said three of them could not be revived.”
The fourth kid who was in critical condition in the hospital couldn’t make it and died yesterday.
The tragedy has shaken the local community, and everyone is heartbroken by the incident that happened a few days before Christmas.
West Midlands Police officer Supt Richard Harris told BBC that the family members of the four deceased boys are in deep grief and absolutely devastated.
According to Richard Harris, all the police officers who reached the incident site entered the lake without even thinking twice.
“They entered the water with no regard for their own safety or with any special clothing – some going in waist-deep,” said Officer Harris.
“One of my officers was trying to punch through the ice to actually rescue the children themselves. That officer, as a result of that, had some mild hypothermia yesterday. I’m pleased to say he’s now been released from the hospital, and he’s absolutely fine.”
Harris added that the searches are ongoing to ensure that no one else is entrapped in the lake.
“It’s important to stress though that we’ve had no contact from anybody suggesting that there is anybody else missing,” he said.
Daily Mail reported that one brave little schoolgirl who was present on the lake when the incident occurred tried her best to save the boys from drowning by pulling off tree branches and passing them to the boys to pull them out.
“Oliwia Szewc, 13, who was meeting a friend on Sunday when the tragedy struck, said She and her friend later offered up their coats to help bring their temperatures up after they were brought to land, while ‘praying they would be all right.”
Speaking to ITV News, Olivia said she was trying her best to think of different ways to help them float on the water’s surface.
“I knew I would have to wait for emergency services before a man I believed to be one of the boys’ relatives jumped into the water.”
She added, “He jumped into the frozen lake and cut up his legs but couldn’t really do anything because he was putting his own life at risk. He didn’t go any farther because the police held him back.”
The teenager said she was horrified to learn that three out of four boys died on the spot, and one was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
“Knowing that one of them’s still in hospital is kind of a relief because I was at least able to help someone. It was just horrifying and I was just clueless because I tried to help but I couldn’t I tried my best.”
After the passing of the six-year-old boy yesterday, West Midlands Police confirmed his death and issued a statement.
“It is with heartfelt sadness that we have to report this afternoon, the six-year-old in the hospital has lost his fight for life. Our deepest sympathies are with the families and friends of those involved in this tragedy.”
“We cannot comprehend the enormity of the pain they must feel, and our hearts go out to them,” the force said.
The police also stated that the boys’ identities would be officially revealed only after their families consent.
Our hearts go out to the families of the victims. Let us know your views about the incident in the comment section.
Sources: Sky News – BBC – Daily Mail
