24 July 2024 , 16:11
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Joshua Hillstead was pulled from the River Arrow in Warwickshire but died following complications resulting from drowning, police say. In a separate incident, officers searching for a 16-year-old boy in a West Midlands reservoir have discovered a body.
An eight-year-old boy has died after falling into a river - as police confirmed a body has also been found in the search for a teenager in a reservoir.
Police were called to a report of a young child who had fallen into the River Arrow in Alcester, Warwickshire, at around 9.30pm on Monday.
Joshua Hillstead, from Maypole, Birmingham, was pulled from the water but died from following complications resulting from drowning, Warwickshire Police said.
In a separate incident, West Midlands Police said a body had been found in the search for a 16-year-old boy in a reservoir in Dudley.
The boy got into difficulties in Lodge Farm Reservoir in Netherton at just after 6pm on Tuesday.
Police discovered a body in the water shortly before 11.30am on Wednesday, with formal identification yet to take place.
Lodge Farm Reservoir in Dudley. Pic: Google Street View
In the Alcester incident, another child was also in the water but did not require further treatment.
A GoFundMe page set up to help Joshua’s family said the boy "died in his father’s arms" at Birmingham Children’s Hospital.
The page, created by a family friend, says it intends to raise £5,000 for Joshua’s parents so they "do not have to worry about anything whilst they are going through this horrendous tragedy".
Detective Inspector Heidi Twynham said: "Losing a child is devastating, and we offer our condolences to the family after this tragic accident - we are liaising with the family to provide support.
"Fast, unpredictable currents and invisible deeper sections make rivers dangerous places, particularly for children and non-confident swimmers. Please take caution around our waterways."
Addressing the Dudley incident, Chief Superintendent Anthony Tagg said: "This is a desperately tragic event and our thoughts are with the boy’s family and friends.
"Equally this has affected the wider community who have been extremely supportive.
"We will have extra officers in the area during the coming days and we would urge anyone with concerns to talk to us."
According to the National Water Safety Forum - a network of volunteer groups promoting safety in open water - there were 236 water-related deaths in the UK in 2023.