Girl, 15, drowned in river after going for paddle and ‘losing her balance’
A popular schoolgirl who went into a river to cool off on a hot summer’s day drowned after she lost her balance, an inquest heard.
Abbie Walton, 15, of Hattersley, Tameside, went to the River Etherow in nearby Broadbottom with friends on June 14 last summer.
However, Abbie and two other children who were with her got into difficulties when the water unexpectedly became too deep for them, the court was told.
Her two friends were able to get themselves to safety, but Abbie, who could not swim very well, disappeared under the water and wasn’t seen again.
The emergency services were scrambled with a large search operation, and she was discovered around an hour and a half later but could not be resuscitated.
The hearing was told Abbie had been told to stay away from the water but Senior Coroner Alison Mutch said the temptation to go for a paddle was just too much.
Ms Mutch ruled Abbie’s death as a ‘tragic accident’ and is now writing to education chiefs to ask them what more can be done to push home the dangers of going into open water.
The inquest at South Manchester Coroner’s Court was told Abbie and friends went to a stretch of the river that flows through private farmland and woodland on what was a very warm summer’s evening.
Detective Inspector Clare Harrison told the court the river can be fast flowing but said on the night in question, it was not particularly fast or turbulent.
She said: ‘I think the difficulty has arisen in determining the depth of the water. They had gone into the water and initially, they were comfortable in an area where they were touching the floor.
‘With the other children, she has gone further out, unaware it had become deeper and they couldn’t get their footing. The three of them have then struggled.’
Emergency services were alerted just after 7.50pm and specialist water rescue teams from the fire service entered the water before 8.15pm, before she was discovered in close proximity to where she went under, at 9.21pm.
Ms Mutch said: ‘Her plan was just to stand and cool down but when she got out of her depth she just didn’t have the skills to rescue herself.
‘She was obviously a young teenager and hadn’t really thought it through, which is what teenagers do. I am so sorry.
‘What is also clear is that the other children who were with her did the best they could in the circumstances. There’s no blame attributed to any of the children involved.
‘It’s quite clear that despite warnings the temptation of going for a paddle was too much for them on that day in question.’
Abbie’s eldest sister Kylie said: ‘Abbie was always smiling and rarely upset. She was very close with our family, especially our mum.
‘Abbie was such a bubbly and polite girl. Truly beautiful inside and out. She was always dancing and making videos for TikTok.’
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