Four little boys drowned after falling through the ice of a frozen lake where they were “playing”, an inquest hearing has been told. Siblings Samuel Butler, six, and eight-year-old Finlay Butler, eight, died along with their cousin Thomas Stewart, 11, and Jack Johnson, 10, on December 11,
They were rescued from Babbs Mill Lake, in Kingshurst, Solihull, near Birmingham, and rushed to hospital. The deaths of Finlay, Thomas and Jack were confirmed on Monday while Samuel died in hospital on Wednesday.
The inquest opening, held in Birmingham on Monday, was told how three of the boys were in the lake for 22 minutes before they were pulled from the icy waters. A fourth child was in the water for 31 minutes.
