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Two arrested after five-year-old boy dies at water park Two arrested after five-year-old boy dies at water park
(about 4 hours later)
Two people have been arrested after a five-year-old boy died following an incident at a water park. A five-year-old boy found at the bottom of a water park pool had run off for a last play while his parents packed their car to leave, it has been claimed.
Leicestershire police were called to Bosworth Water Park at about 3.50pm on Saturday after a young boy was taken to University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire, where he later died. Minutes after disappearing, the child, who later died, was pulled from the water at Bosworth Water Park near Nuneaton by another boy, aged 11, who discovered him while searching for his goggles, according to accounts of the tragedy given on social media.
A man and woman were detained and are being questioned by police about the incident. It is understood that the victim’s parents, who went to search for their son after he did not return, recognised him by his shorts as other visitors pulled him on to dry land and tried to save his life.
The outdoor attraction near Nuneaton includes 50 acres of parkland and 20 acres of lakes and lagoons for boating, fishing and sailing, according to its website. Police were called at about 3.50pm on Saturday after the boy, named as Charlie on social media, was taken to University Hospital Coventry, where he later died.
A statement issued on its Facebook page read: “From all of the staff at Bosworth Water Park, we would like to pass on our deepest sympathies to everyone affected by this tragic loss of life.” A man and woman have been arrested and are being questioned by Leicestershire police.
Bosworth Water Park is an outdoor attraction with 50 acres of parkland and 20 acres of lakes and lagoons for boating, fishing and sailing, according to its website.
Accounts of the incident given on social media make it clear that many park visitors had entered the water, despite there being few professional lifeguards to look out for swimmers.
Witnesses reported that visitors discovered Charlie beneath the water. Sheena Thomas posted on Facebook: “My 11-year-old nephew pulled this lil boy from the water after feeling his hair whilst searching for his goggles he had lost.”
Also on Facebook, Mariam Goodwin wrote: “My son and he’s [sic] friend could feel something touching there feet when thy looked under seen it was a small boy and picked him out the water.”
Responding to criticism of the parents on Facebook, Lisa-Jane Wood, who said the dead boy was her nephew, wrote that Charlie had asked to follow his older sister to a nearby playground while their parents packed the car and looked after their youngest child, aged one.
“They never believed for a seconded [sic] he would go near the water as they had already played in the water earlier that day,” Wood wrote. “The[y] believed he had gone to his sister. It was only on her return they asked where he was and she did not know.
“They went to the playground and he was no where in site [sic]. On coming back they seen a man pulling a child out of the water. They only know it was him because of the shorts he was wearing.”
In a statement on its Facebook page, Bosworth Water Park said staff passed on their “deepest sympathies”.
Commenting on the post, Raegan Birley said: “We were quite near and were totally shaken seeing this happen. To everyone that helped, you worked so so hard, it must be devastating to see this news. To this little boy’s family I am so so sorry. Things can change in seconds and this must be horrific for any family to go through.”Commenting on the post, Raegan Birley said: “We were quite near and were totally shaken seeing this happen. To everyone that helped, you worked so so hard, it must be devastating to see this news. To this little boy’s family I am so so sorry. Things can change in seconds and this must be horrific for any family to go through.”
Penny Broughton added: “I was helping today with the CPR and it truly was (the) most heartbreaking thing I’ve done.” Melanie Allen posted: “Saw this horrible tragedy yesterday and will never get those images out of my head.”Penny Broughton added: “I was helping today with the CPR and it truly was (the) most heartbreaking thing I’ve done.” Melanie Allen posted: “Saw this horrible tragedy yesterday and will never get those images out of my head.”
A Leicestershire police spokesman said: “We would ask that people do not speculate about the incident and the circumstances surrounding the death and leave the authorities to carry out their investigations.”
Officers have asked that anyone who witnessed the incident or those who have footage at the park around the blue lagoon beach to call 101, quoting incident 440 of 23 July.