On December 11th, a tragic event unfolded at the Solihull lake in West Midlands in the UK. A haunting thickness hangs in the air where three children, aged 8, 10, and 11, perished. The fourth was rushed into ICU that night and was fighting for his life after being pulled from freezing waters.
Police are in tears as they lay flowers, and Birmingham’s City manager, John Eustace, has also laid a wreath at the scene of the event. Local emergency crews had to punch through the Solihull lake ice with the police’s assistance to fish the surviving boy from the lake.
The boy who tried to rescue the others has now been identified as 10-year-old Jack Johnson. He’s been described as a hero for his bravery. “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.” Said West Midlands police in a statement following the tragic loss of the three boys.
After being rescued, the three boys were taken to hospital on that fateful Sunday night, but attempts at reviving them failed. It has been reported that up to 6 children have fallen into the Solihull lake and searches are ongoing. Authorities have, however, said that it is “no longer a search and rescue operation”.
Temperatures plummeted to 26 degrees Fahrenheit that night
Temperatures over Solihull lake had plummeted from 33 to 26 degrees Fahrenheit that night of the event. One cannot imagine the fear and terror these poor children must have gone through in their last moments.
Dedications and respect poured in for the Solihull lake victims
Relatives of 10-year-old Jack Johnson paid tribute to the youngsters earlier this week. They also thanked everyone involved in the rescue operation for their commitment and support through this difficult time. A social media post has thanked the entire community of West Midlands who stood together through this awful event.
Jackson’s aunt Charlotte McIlmurray wrote on Facebook. “My nephew seen one go through the ice and he ran and tried to save them. We are just broken over it and to find out he died trying to save three lads he didn’t even know, that just sums him up, he was amazing.”
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Several have come forward to pay tribute to the boys and their families. One card read: “To Thomas, The world will not be the same without you” and “Thomas, rest in peace. Love from Earl”. Dozens of teddy bears have been placed at the site, with one carrying a note that reads “RIP beautiful angels.”
A tribute left at the scene to one victim read: “To my friend Thomas. Thanks for being there for me when I was sad. Thanks for lending me your jacket when I was cold. You were like a brother to me. I miss you so much.”
Rescuers underwent brutal conditions in their attempts
It has since emerged that one of the rescuers actually suffered mild hypothermia after attempting to punch through the ice on that haunting night. Attempts were made to get the boys out as soon as possible, knowing that the longer they remained in the freezing waters, the less chance they had.
Rich Cooke, chair of West Midlands Police Federation, said that the officer in his early 20s was on one of his first-ever operational rotations when tragedy struck. Mr. Cooke described him as “an absolute hero.” He said all the police who arrived at the scene had “tried to help in whatever way they could.”
A brave teen and a witness nearby
A teenage girl had also tried to use a tree branch to rescue the boys who died that day after falling through the Solihull lake ice. Oliwia Szewc, 13, from Kingshurst, was meeting a friend that day at Babbs Mill Park. It was then that she spotted the boys struggling.
“I saw two boys in the water, I couldn’t see the rest of them,” the teenager told ITV News Central. “I’m guessing most of them already fell into the lake.” She added: “I was just shocked and panicked because I didn’t know what I could do. Me and my friend have never really been in a situation like that before.”
Dan Hall, 38, saw the tragedy unfold from his flat which is next to the nature reserve. He said: ‘I heard the sirens at about 2.30pm. I started down to the lake and there was a girl of about 13 with her younger sister. The younger girl was hysterical, saying “my brother, my brother” over and over and the older girl was trying to calm her down telling her not to think like that.“
“I saw a police officer come up from the lake drenched. There were a lot of hysterical people down there. One man, who may well have been the father of one of the kids, was being consoled by a police officer. He was in a terrible state. I saw them take the first two children from the lake and then I ran back to my flat to get some towels and coats.”
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Sources
- “‘It’s the most devastating day of our lives’: Family’s tribute to hero Jack, 10, who ‘died trying to save three boys he didn’t know’ after they fell into frozen lake – as vigil marks tragedy in Solihull.” DailyMail UK. Nick Fagge. December 12, 2022
- “Solihull frozen lake deaths: Police pay tribute at scene where three children died – as boy, 6, fights for life.” Sky News. December 13, 2022
- “Solihull incident: Boy, 6, becomes fourth child to die after falling into icy lake.” Independent. Emily Atkinson. December 14, 2022.