IN VAIN
Emotional cop reveals police officer tried to punch through ice to save boys who died after plunging through frozen lake
A COP tried to punch through the ice in a desperate bid to save the boys who died after plunging through the frozen Babbs Mill Lake.
A desperate rescue mission was launched for the children at Babbs Mill Park in Solihull, West Midlands, yesterday afternoon.
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Brave police officers and members of the public jumped waist-deep into the freezing water to rescue the kids after they went into cardiac arrest.
One policeman who tried to punch through the ice suffered mild hypothermia but has since been released from hospital.
Superintendent Richard Harris, of West Midlands Police, said: “One of my officers was trying to punch through the ice to rescue the children themselves.
“That officer as a result of that had some mild hypothermia yesterday.”
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Four of the children were rushed to hospital after being pulled from the icy water.
Police today confirmed three boys aged eight, 10 and 11 have tragically died.
A six-year-old boy remains in a critical condition in hospital.
Police have not confirmed whether the boys are related and said the families were "absolutely devastated".
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Cops are still searching the lake due to fears more children could have entered the water as temperatures plunged overnight to a freezing -3C.
This will continue until they are "absolutely certain" no one else is in the water and are not currently looking at a criminal investigation.
A statement said: "Three boys have tragically died after falling into the lake at Babbs Mill Park in Solihull yesterday afternoon (11 December).
"The boys, aged 11, 10 and 8 were rushed to hospital after being pulled from the water.
"Sadly, they could not be revived and our thoughts are with their family and friends at this deeply devastating time.
"We’ll have specialist officers offering them as much support as we can.
"A fourth boy, aged 6, remains in a critical condition in hospital.
"Searches of the lake are continuing as we seek to establish exactly what happened and if anyone else fell into the water."
Distraught locals also told how bystanders had yelled it wasn't "safe" to go on the lake, which had frozen over in the cold weather.
Witnesses said the ice cracked beneath two of the kids and the others got into trouble when they rushed over to help.
Sophie, 23, said: "I got here with my friends at 2.45pm. There were a group of youngsters playing near the lake which was completely iced over.
"Two of them had gone onto the lake and people were shouting at them that it wasn't safe.
"Then the ice cracked and the leg of one of the boys went in. The other three on the bank then went in to help and soon they were all in trouble."
Specialist divers were drafted in to help with the search last night after firefighters received a report of six children in the water.
Officials feared they were no longer alive due to their age, the temperature of the water and the length of time spent in it.
West Midlands Fire Service area commander Richard Stanton told a press conference today: "Yesterday's incident is a stark reminder to us all of the dangers of open water, especially during the winter months.
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"Frozen lakes, ponds, canals and reservoirs can look picturesque but they can be lethal and there are no greater warnings of this than yesterday's tragic events.
"We would ask parents and carers to remind their children of the dangers of ice and why they must keep off it. Please help us to avoid this from happening again."
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