Two young brothers and their cousin were three of the four boys who died when they plunged into an icy lake in the West Midlands.
Finlay Butler, eight, and his younger brother Samuel, six, died, as did their cousin Thomas Stewart, 11, and another boy, Jack Johnson, 10.
They were pulled from water at Babbs Mill Park, near Solihull, on Sunday.
The families of the three young relatives have paid tribute to their “beautiful boys”.
“As a family we are devastated at the loss of our beautiful boys Tom, Fin and Sam in such tragic circumstances,” said their parents in a statement released by West Midlands Police.
“We would like to thank the emergency services for all they did in rescuing the boys and to the community for their support – it has been overwhelming.
“We would like to pass on our condolences to Jack’s family at this very sad time, and ask for privacy from the media to begin to grieve.”
‘I love you Tom’
Jack, Finlay and Thomas died in hospital on Sunday.
On Wednesday, police confirmed the youngest of the boys Sam had also died.
Thomas’s older brother released a tribute to his “beautiful” and “lively” sibling with “such a big heart”.
“He loved being outside playing with his mates. I love you Tom, big bro will take care of the family and I will see you soon,” it said.
“Make sure you keep practising on warzone and get a win, will you?”
Writing before he learned his younger cousin had also died, the boy added he could not forget “dinosaur man, Fin”.
“He loved dinosaurs so much and always showing me new things he built on Minecraft, and all the new stuff he learnt on it. Gonna miss you little man.”
St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School, where Jack was a pupil, said its community remained “in a state of shock” at the tragic news.
“Jack was a loving, bubbly pupil with a heart of gold. Someone who would always check in on others and make sure they were doing OK,” said head teacher Cieran Flaherty.
“He was a joy to teach and a child who we are all so very proud of. A ray of sunshine who would never fail to make us all smile. We can only say thank you to him for brightening up our lives.”
Staff from the school visited the scene on Thursday to pay their own tributes.
Dr Toby Close, associate head teacher at Park Hall Academy, confirmed the death of their pupil, 11-year-old Thomas, “with the heaviest of hearts”.
“Tom was a well-liked, caring pupil with real character who went out of his way to look after those around him,” he said.
“He was a fiercely loyal friend to so many in our school community. In the short time he was at Park Hall, his outgoing personality, energy and wit shone through.
“We will miss him brightening every day with his great sense of humour. He radiated a love for learning with his infectious smile and enthusiastic manner.”
Earlier on Thursday a mass was held as a “beautiful tribute to Jack”, St Anthony’s Primary School tweeted.
“We were joined by Jack’s family and our school family,” it said.
Firefighters from Sheldon fire station also attended the service. Crews from the station were among those who had tried to rescue the boys on Sunday.
Ambulance workers who had tried to save the four boys placed a wreath near the scene.
“We are all human,” said assistant chief officer Nathan Hudson.
“Nobody comes to work to perform advanced care on four children that have drowned in a lake, so it’s a very difficult moment for them professionally.”
Staying safe near frozen lakes
- Children should not go on the ice under any circumstances
- Stay away from the edge of bodies of water as uneven terrain can make slips and falls more likely
- Whenever possible, stick to well-lit routes away from water
- Keep dogs on a lead when they’re near the ice, and don’t throw sticks or toys on to the ice
- If a pet falls in, do not go on to the ice nor into the water to rescue them, move somewhere where the dog can climb out and call them to you
Source: Royal Life Saving Society UK
A police cordon at the scene of the accident was lifted on Wednesday evening, after specialist diving teams completed their searches.
Supt Rich Harris, of West Midlands Police, said officers would remain in the area over the coming days.
“This is a tragedy beyond words and a grief that is unimaginable for the families and friends of the boys,” added Supt Harris.
“The support from the community has been overwhelming, not just for the bereaved families, but also for the emergency services, for which we are extremely grateful.”
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