Babbs Mill icy lake death boys were feeding ducks, inquest told

Four boys died when they went on to a frozen lake near Solihull after they fed ducks and skimmed stones, an inquest heard.

Finlay Butler, eight, and his younger brother Samuel, six, died, as did their cousin Thomas Stewart, 11, and another boy, Jack Johnson, 10.

They went into the water at Babbs Mill Park on 11 December 2022.

The inquest heard Finlay fell in first, Thomas and Jack as they tried to help and no-one saw Samuel fall in.

The boys went initially to feed the ducks and skim stones, Det Insp Jim Edmonds, from West Midlands Police, said.

Jack was with one group of children and the other three in another.

Jack then decided to go on the ice and Thomas, Finlay and Samuel followed.

After they fell in, witnesses said they saw the boys in the water, shouting for help, but they could not get out and a short time later they went under the surface.

Det Insp Edmonds said his officers were there 11 minutes after the first 999 call at about 14:35 GMT.

They ignored safety advice, took off their body armour and waded in to form a human chain, he added.

He said the air temperature was 5C (41F) and the water temperature was even lower which affected the ability of the officers to function.

There was a big risk to the rescuers themselves, Jason Wiles, from West Midlands Ambulance Service, said.

Paramedics shouted to the rescuers to get out and one of the police officers was in the water up to his neck, he added.

Mr Wiles said the officer probably only just got out the water in time.

The last child, Finlay, was recovered from the water by firefighters at 15:05 GMT, half an hour after the first 999 call.

Det Insp Edmonds said he did not know why the ice broke but it was a "terrible tragedy".

He did not believe his team could have done anything differently, he told the inquest.

The boys all received the best treatment possible on their way to hospital but brain damage would have occurred within minutes after they were submerged, Mr Wiles said.

Dr Sarah Denniston, from Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, said efforts were made to resuscitate the boys without success and drowning was the cause of death.

The temperature of the water in the lake would have caused the boys' bodies to go into shock, Alex Chapman, from West Midlands Fire Service, said.

He also said nothing more could have been done on the day by firefighters.

However the fire service would review its prevention work and planned regular safety campaigns in summer and winter to focus on the dangers of the water, he added.

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