Mother whose son drowned 21 years ago at 15 said Solihull frozen lake tragedy brought it ‘all back’

A mother whose 15-year-old son drowned 21 years ago has revealed how the tragedy of frozen Lake Solihull – in which four boys died – brought her child’s death ‘all the way back’.

Frazer, the son of Julie Amiss, drowned on 29 July 2001 at Powell’s Pool in Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield.

On hearing of the tragedy at Babbs Mill Lake in Kingsurst last Sunday, when three boys aged eight, 10 and 11 had died and a six-year-old was fighting for his life, Ms Amiss said she felt ‘ill’.

The tragedy occurred in Solihull Park when the four boys fell into icy water just before 3pm on Sunday 11 December.

They were rescued from the lake by emergency services and treated by paramedics, but were reported to have suffered cardiac arrest.

All four died as a result of the incident. Three were part of the same family: brothers Finlay Butler, 8, Samuel Butler, 6, and their cousin Thomas Stewart, 11. The fourth boy, Jack Johnson, was 10.

Six-year-old Sam fought for his life, but died in hospital on Wednesday, December 14.

Ms Amiss, 55, said the boys’ deaths affected her deeply after the loss of her son in 2001.

The mother, who has two other children, one born shortly after Frazer’s death and a daughter who was 12 at the time of the tragedy, said: “I found out about it on Monday morning. I just felt sick.

Police attended the scene at Babbs Mill Lake in Kingshurst, Solihull where four boys died after falling into freezing water on December 11

“Exactly the size of the number of children involved. It’s so shocking. It’s heartbreaking.

“It brings it all back. My daughter called me. She was 12 and a half when Frazer died and is now in her thirties.’

She added, “This brings it back to anyone who experiences that kind of loss, especially a child in that way. They walk out the door. You think you see them and they don’t come back.

“You think of so many things. What could you have done and said? My son was also a decent swimmer. That was the hottest day of that year. But it is understanding how cool the water can be.

“And on a Sunday night, when the water is that cold, you’d think you wouldn’t have much time to get to them.”

Ten-year-old Jack Johnson was one of the boys who lost their lives in the Solihull tragedy. His aunt said he was “trying to save” three other children – ages six, eight and eleven – who had been on the frozen lake when the ice broke.

The Amiss family lived in the Boldmere area of ​​Sutton at the time, close to Powell’s Pool at the Boldmere Gate entrance to the park. Frazer went to the park with his cousin who, according to Mrs. Amiss, desperately tried to save him in the water.

“My kids went to a school nearby, and Frazer had left school in July that year. His birthday was August 29, in a few weeks,’ she said.

‘It happened on July 29, the hottest day of the year, in the early evening. We got a call and we got to the park and there were a lot of people there, ambulances, the police helicopter.

‘But the West Midlands Police divers, who were disbanded. No one was around to come rescue or do anything.

‘The police and fire brigade were then told that they were not allowed to enter the water. They were told not to risk anything for their health and safety. The rescue party from Nottingham arrived quite late.

“It was eight or seven thirty and they were having a little trouble. But then decided to sleep on the side of the lake until daylight again. My son’s cousin, my cousin, was with him that day. He tried to help him, but he couldn’t hold him.’

Mrs Amiss, who now lives in Warwickshire but works in Erdington, close to where she used to live, added: ‘We’re a close-knit family. We all have our afflictions and have to live with it every year in the summer [similar] things happen.

Mourners contributed to pay tribute to the four boys who lost their lives in the Solihull frozen lake tragedy

“It brings everything back. We think ‘how can you make things better? How can we prevent this from happening to children and how can we really educate them?”

‘I am now 55 and when I was at school there were actions with safety in schools. They don’t seem to now.’

When asked what she might say to the families affected by the Babbs Mill Lake tragedy, Ms Amiss said, “There are just no words. There’s nothing people could say that would make me feel better. It’s just heartbreaking news. My heart goes out to them. I just can’t imagine what they must be going through.’