Boy, 16, drowned while swimming with friend on hottest day of year despite Prince William’s efforts

Robbie Lea (pictured) was found under almost 15 ft of water 

A teenage boy drowned while trying to swim back from an island in a river with his friend.

Robbie Lea was found under almost 15ft of water in Lee Valley Park, after he had gone swimming with school mates on a sunny day in May last year.

The Duke of Cambridge piloted an air ambulance to the scene as emergency services desperately searched for the 16-year-old boy.

They found Robbie an hour later, close to where he was last seen struggling in the water. He was pronounced dead at the scene in Hertfordshire.

Robbie met with Kieran Cook and Jayden Baldwin, and the friends went to the River Lea on May 25, an inquest in Hatfield heard today.

Giving evidence, Detective Constable Vikki Murray said: ‘They all met up to spend the day and afternoon together. They just wanted to hang around and have fun.’

The boys had been to the spot before, but this was the first time they went into the water.

DC Murray told the court that Jayden didn’t go into the water because he ‘was not as confident’, while Robbie and Kieran decided to swim to an island about 30 metres from the bank.

‘They both got to the island and sat for about five minutes to catch their breath,’ DC Murray said. ‘Kieran said it was harder than he thought it would be. They decided to swim back but it seemed further away.

The Duke of Cambridge (pictured at the scene) was scrambled to pilot an air ambulance to Lee Valley Park, where Robbie was pronounced dead

The Duke of Cambridge (pictured at the scene) was scrambled to pilot an air ambulance to Lee Valley Park, where Robbie was pronounced dead

The Duke of Cambridge (pictured at the scene) was scrambled to pilot an air ambulance to Lee Valley Park, where Robbie was pronounced dead 

‘Then Kieran became aware of Robbie shouting. They were about halfway across. Kieran could see Robbie struggling. Robbie grabbed at Kieran and Robbie went under the water.’

The court heard that Jayden attempted to enter the water but ‘realised he would not be able to help’. Kieran made it back to the bank and called 999.

Police, ambulance and fire crews rushed to the river and carried out a search for the teenager, with DC Murray adding he was located about 8.26pm under 10 to 15ft of water. At about 9pm, a paramedic pronounced him dead.

In an interview with Detective Constable Martin Sturgess conducted later that evening, Kieran said that Robbie had told him his ‘legs were hurting’ when they reached the island.

The Duke of Cambridge piloted this air ambulance to the scene where Robbie was pronounced dead after an hour-long search for his body 

The Duke of Cambridge piloted this air ambulance to the scene where Robbie was pronounced dead after an hour-long search for his body 

Kieran told the DC he had tried to help his friend on the way back but Robbie was ‘grabbing hold of him’ and he ‘feared he would drown himself and swam back to shore’.

A post-mortem conducted by consultant pathologist Dr Anju Agarwal found that Robbie’s lungs ‘were filled with lots of fluid’, but that there were no signs of external injury. 

Dr Agarwal said the lungs were ‘all puffed up’, which often signifies submersion. She confirmed the conclusion of the examination was ‘death by drowning’.

In a statement, Robbie’s mother Sarah Lea said she had been worried when her son started Goffs School in Cheshunt as his friends had gone to other schools.

But she added: ‘He met Kieran and Jayden and they became best friends. He [Robbie] started to have an air of self-worth about him, it was great to see.

‘He was a good boy, caring and loving and he was a gentleman and a good big brother. He loved his friends.’

Tributes were laid at the site the day after the 16-year-old's death after he swam out to an island with his friend 

Tributes were laid at the site the day after the 16-year-old’s death after he swam out to an island with his friend 

Mrs Lea said Robbie had swimming lessons when he was younger, but that he ‘was not a strong swimmer’.

She said she still spoke to Kieran and Jayden, saying they were ‘good boys’ and that she bore ‘no ill will towards them’.

The mother added: ‘It comforting to know he was with his best friends having fun on a sunny day.’

Senior coroner Geoffrey Sullivan said his first conclusion was ‘simply one of an accident’.

‘I’m satisfied on the balance of probabilities that Robbie died as a result of a tragic accident, that three friends went out on a sunny afternoon, went for a swim, got into trouble and sadly [Robbie] drowned,’ he said.

Mr Sullivan recorded the medical cause of death as ‘drowning’. Lee Valley Regional Park is a 10,000-acre 26 miles long linear park which runs through the northeast of Greater London, Essex and Hertfordshire. The area includes a network of rivers, canals and lakes.

 



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