Unimaginable pain over boys’ Solihull lake deaths – aunt

Flowers, balloons and soft toys were left by mourners gathering for a vigil after the deaths of three boys who plunged into an icy lake.

The three, aged eight, 10 and 11, were pulled from a lake in Babbs Mill Park, Solihull, on Sunday, but later died.

The 10-year-old has been named as Jack Johnson but the identities of the other two boys are yet to be confirmed.

A six-year-old boy who was also rescued from the water remains in a critical condition in hospital.

Police said searches would continue throughout Tuesday but stressed there was no suggestion anybody else was missing.

Dozens gathered for the vigil in Kingshurst on Monday night and the silence was striking.

Throughout the day, people were standing in shock not knowing what to do or say – and so remained quiet.

Jack’s aunt Charlotte McIlmurray thanked the local community on social media for their support.

She described the boys’ deaths as a nightmare, saying the pain of losing them was “unimaginable”.

Messages of love and support have been left for the boys and their families along with flowers and soft toys.

One tribute, in a child’s writing, read: “Rest in peace, I’m going to miss you forever.”

Shaun Gordon, 45, told the BBC how he had had to break the news to his daughter, a classmate of Jack’s.

“It was heart-breaking,” he said. “As a parent, it’s just tragic.”

The family came to lay flowers on Tuesday which Mr Gordon said helped ease his daughter’s pain.

The community here knows all the boys who have died but out of respect for the families are waiting for their names to be formally confirmed by police.

Instead, on candles and notes they refer to them as little soldiers, three kings and the Babbs Mill Boys.

A neighbour of one of the boys was distraught when she opened the door to reporters earlier. She said what had happened was a “complete and utter tragedy”.

Members of the public and police officers initially went into the water to try to get the children, before they were reached by specialist water rescue-trained firefighters.

West Midlands Police said one of its officers had to punch through the ice to try to rescue the boys.

The force is being guided by the families as to how much information is made available to the media, Supt Richard Harris said, adding it was doing “everything we possibly can to support them”.

“People have said it feels like being in a movie,” said Reverend Mandy Harris, from the nearby St Barnabas Church.

“This is what happens everywhere else, this doesn’t happen in Kingshurst.”

She said some of the boys’ classmates had come to the church “not knowing where to turn or give voice to their grief”.

She spoke of the strength of community spirit in the area as people pull together to mourn.

The chair of governors at one of the boy’s schools, St Anthony’s Catholic Primary, said the community was “very, very close-knit”.

“We’ve got families that have been here for five generations,” Marcus Brain told BBC Radio 5 Live. “Everybody knows everybody else.

“Everybody I’ve spoken to… are in an utter state of shock.”

The school shut on Monday after the incident and reopened on Tuesday morning.

The feeling on Tuesday is one of sheer disbelief that three children have lost their lives after going out to play.

One resident, Dan, said he had heard sirens from his flat that overlooks the lake after the children got into trouble on Sunday afternoon.

He said he had grabbed jackets and towels which were given to the boys when they were pulled from the water.

“Then 15 minutes later I am back in my flat and they’d brought them up on stretchers,” Dan said.

Solihull councillor Ian Courts said: “We are completely stunned at what’s happened.

“Clearly our thoughts and prayers have to be with the families in this situation. I can hardly imagine what the families are going through.”

Police believe there were a number of witnesses next to the water they are yet to speak to and are urging them to come forward.

Specialist officers have arrived from Nottinghamshire Police to continue searching the lake, which has a circuit of about 2.1 miles (3.5km).

Despite the temperature, visibility has improved since Monday, making the search slightly easier for the team.

With no further missing person reports, police no longer believe another body could be in the lake but are trying to make sure nothing has been overlooked.

Supt Harris said the families affected by the tragedy were “absolutely devastated”.

He added: “Also this time of year, it’s on the run-up to Christmas, so close to the event itself, also adds to that tragedy.”

Another vigil for the boys is due to be held on Sunday.

A local Rotary club has cancelled its annual Santa sleigh charity event which had been due to go around Kingshurst on Wednesday and Thursday.

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