The inquest into the deaths of four young boys who died after falling through the ice of a frozen lake in Solihull near Birmingham has opened. The inquest hearing was told that 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 rushed to hospital after being rescued from Babbs Mill Lake, in Kingshurst, but the deaths of Finlay, Thomas and Jack were confirmed on Monday. Samuel died in hospital on Wednesday.
Over the weekend a vigil was held with hundreds of people bringing candles, bouquets, children’s toys, and balloons to the location as residents mourned the loss of the boys. An initial inquest hearing, held on Monday, December 19, in Birmingham, was told three of the boys were rescued after 22 minutes in the water, while a fourth was pulled from the lake after 31 minutes.
