Babbs Mill Park: Boy, 6, dies after falling into frozen lake in Solihull

A six-year-old boy has become the fourth child to die after falling into an icy lake in Solihull, police have said.

The youngster had been in a critical condition in hospital since the incident at Babbs Mill Lake, Kingshurst, on Sunday.

Police announced the deaths of three other boys, aged eight, 10, and 11, on Monday.

Emergency service were called to Babbs Mill Park on Sunday after reports four children had been playing on the ice and fallen through into the lake.

They were all rushed to two Birmingham hospitals; Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Heartlands Hospital, where they all arrived in critical conditions.

On Monday morning, West Midlands Police confirmed three boys aged eight, 10 and 11 had died.

Now officers have issued a further update with the sad news the six-year-old has died.

Police also said their searches at the scene have been completed at the lake.The police statement reads: "It is with heartfelt sadness that we have to report this afternoon, the six-year-old in hospital has lost his fight for life.

"Our deepest sympathies are with the families and friends of those involved in this tragedy.

"We cannot comprehend the enormity of the pain they must feel and our hearts go out to them.

"Specialist officers remain in contact with the family and we will issue further information as soon as we can.

"The searches have been completed and the scene of the incident at the lake will be lifted this evening."

What happened at Babbs Mill Park?

Emergency services were first called to Babbs Mill Park at 2.34pm on Sunday.

It was reported four children had been playing on the ice and fallen through into the lake.

Members of the public and police officers initially went into the chilly waters to try to rescue the youngsters - before the children were reached by specialist water rescue-trained firefighters who got the group to safety.

Those pulled from the water were given immediate life support by ambulance crews and the fire service.

Nobody else has been reported missing and searches have now ended, according to West Midlands Police.

The latest statement from police comes as more floral tributes have been laid near the scene where the four boys died after being pulled from an icy lake in Solihull on Sunday.

At a makeshift memorial near Babbs Mill lake on Wednesday, people have continued to add bouquets to an ever-growing carpet of flowers while one group tied balloons of red and gold to nearby railings.

England international Tyrone Mings was one of those who visited the memorial, alongside Aston Villa club captain John McGinn.

Mings also spoke about the impact the events have had and why he wanted to come down to the site.

He said: "It's just a really, really sad situation for everybody and we wanted to pay our respects.

"I think it has touched everybody and has made everybody really come together and try and pay our respects as a football club, this was kind of on a personal level.

"We wanted to just how that we were also thinking of everybody involved and it seemed a small gesture for us to come down and pay our respects. We felt it was important to do so."