A 13-year-old girl has spoken of the moment she tried to save four boys who plunged through the ice on a frozen lake. All four were taken to hospital in cardiac arrest and three sadly died.
A six-year-old boy remains in critical condition after the incident in Solihull on Sunday. Oliwia Szewc, 13, said she was there when the boys got into trouble, and tried to help by ripping branches from nearby trees.
She was meeting a friend at the park on Sunday when the accident happened. Oliwia told ITV: "I was just trying to find branches of trees and try to pass to them but they were all too short.
"I was just trying my best to think of different ways to at least help them or do anything for them to float on the surface of the water so they wouldn't drown. I was thinking, what would be able to pull them back to the shore?
"And then I just looked at a tree and I was like, that's it. I should just get a branch I try. I got the branch, but it was too short."
Oliwia added: "I was willing to give up anything just at least to save one of them. Knowing that one of them's still in hospital is kind of a relief because I was at least able to help someone."
She said: "It was just horrifying and I was just clueless because I tried to help but I couldn't but I tried my best."
Tearful police officers were applauded by the public as they laid flowers near to where the three boys died. A group of 21 officers from West Midlands Police’s Chelmsley Wood neighbourhood policing team marched to the makeshift shrine, which has grown up near Babbs Mill Lake in Kingshurst in Solihull in the two days since the tragedy on Sunday.
The tight-knit community is still in shock since news broke on Monday that three boys – aged 11, 10 and eight – had died after being pulled from the water.
Birmingham City Football Club head coach John Eustace laying flowers near to the scene (Jacob King/PA)
On Tuesday, a group of police officers arrived at the scene and held a two-minute silence before marching away, to claps from on-lookers. The force’s officers were among the first rescuers on the scene and one had tried to punch through the ice to reach the youngsters.
Solihull Police also tweeted its “heartfelt thanks” to the community for its “overwhelming” support offered to all branches of the emergency services who attended the rescue and since. It came as a relative of one of the boys who died has spoken of the unimaginable pain faced by the youngsters’ families.
The aunt of 10-year-old Jack Johnson, who is reported to have been trying to save others who fell into the water near Birmingham, used a social media post to thank members of the community for their support.
Police at the scene (Jacob King/PA)
In a post on social media, Jack’s aunt, Charlotte McIlmurray, described the tragedy as a “nightmare”, adding “that two families can’t wake from the pain is unimaginable”.
“He (Jack) was my nephew, so I know the pain is a million times worse for their moms, dads, sisters/brothers,” she added. Numerous bunches of flowers left near the scene included tributes from the emergency services, the NHS, local politicians, Marston Green FC and friends of the boys.
Birmingham City Football Club head coach John Eustace also laid flowers on Tuesday, on behalf of all those at the club. Mr Eustace, who was born in Solihull, laid a floral wreath of blue and white at the foot of a tree which has become the focal point of mourning near Babbs Mill Lake.
Police divers were still searching Babbs Mill Lake on Tuesday morning (Jacob King/PA)
The wreath had a card which read: “Sending our deepest condolences and love to those affected by this tragedy. You are in our thoughts. From everyone at Birmingham City Football Club.”
After laying the wreath, Mr Eustace stood for a moment, in silence, before leaving. People of all ages had continued to arrive throughout the day to pay their respects.
Some had brought children’s toys, or sweets, to leave, others had balloons or bouquets. The messages on the hundreds of cards told their own story, with several addressed to the “Babbs Mill Boys”.
Flowers and tributes to the ‘Babbs Mill Boys’ (Jacob King/PA)
One read: “You will never be forgotten boys, our three Kings of Kingshurst.”
Several others had cards dedicated to Jack, while others paid tribute to another boy by name, saying: “To Thomas, The world will not be same without you” and “Thomas, rest in peace. Love from Earl”. Among the dozens of teddy bears, was one with the message: “RIP beautiful angels.”
Earlier, specialist dive teams had continued combing the lake, although West Midlands Police has stressed there are no reports of any other children missing, and the searches are thought to be in order to assist in piecing together the circumstances of what happened.
The divers came out of the water after lunchtime and later left the scene, which is still closed off to the public by a large cordon and police tape. West Midlands Police said earlier in a statement: “Our searches at Babbs Mill lake in Kingshurst will continue today.
“The six-year-old boy remains in hospital in a critical condition. We will release further updates as soon as we are able.”
