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Bosworth Water Park is located near Leicester. Facebook

Man and woman arrested over child water park death released on bail

UK media are reporting that they were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence.

A MAN AND a woman arrested over the death of a five-year-old boy at a waterpark in England have been released on bail.

The two were arrested over the weekend following the tragedy at Bosworth Water Park near Leicester.

The young boy, who has been named by the media as Charlie Dunn from Staffordshire, was taken from the Blue Lagoon at the park where efforts were made to resuscitate him.

He was then rushed to hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

BBC and Sky News  are reporting that the two arrested were the mother and stepfather of the child and that they were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence.

They have since been released on bail.

Witnesses to the incident have said that the deceased boy was found underwater by an older child who was also in the water.

Sky News quotes an auntie of the boy who wrote on Facebook:

We will never know why he went by the water but it’s something his family will have to live with for the rest of their lives.

Leicestershire Police have said that investigations are ongoing into the death of the boy and they have asked people not to speculate about what happened.

Police are also asking witnesses to the incident to contact them and are also keen to view any video footage of the Blue Lagoon area of the park from Saturday.

In a statement this afternoon, Bosworth Water Park has said that a full investigation will also be carried out by the UK’s health and safety executive and that its staff “will of course fully cooperate with all investigations.”

The park said that it sends its “deepest condolences to all affected” by the incident which it says includes their own staff.

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15 Comments
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    Mute Vincent Wallace
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    Jul 25th 2016, 6:00 PM

    Worked in a leisure for 8 years. Some People thought it was our job to baby sit their children and went into the sauna or whatever. We had no deep end so weren’t required to have a life guard on deck just on site. You are supposed to look after your own children in the water! Something simular to that child happened on many occasions and it was 100 percent the parents fault for the simple reason they where nowhere to be found but no fatalities thank god.

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    Mute Eyepopper
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    Jul 25th 2016, 4:37 PM

    Asking people on the internet not to speculate is like telling someone not to think of a pink elephant.

    Obviously a lot more to it than is being reported, particularly with charges being brought so soon.

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    Mute Stephen Coveney
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    Jul 25th 2016, 5:13 PM

    @Eye
    No there’s not obviously more to it. The parents were packing up the car to leave, the boy and 8 year old sister went to play nearby within sight while this was happening. The boy went into the water, tragedy happened. It will be up to a court whether they are guilty by negligence but whatever they decide the parents aren’t getting over this easily.

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Jul 25th 2016, 5:59 PM

    “more to it” in this context I’m sure means “we don’t know the full picture” which doesn’t necessarily mean eye is suggesting any kind of intent.

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    Mute Conor Power
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    Jul 25th 2016, 6:16 PM

    Unusual to see such action from the police so shortly after the event given there are other children and the woman in pregnant. There are many cases in Ireland where momentary lapse in supervision has tragic consequences but you wouldn’t hear of the parents treated this way. The recent Limerick hotel accident, farm accidents etc. I would think the suffering of the parents far exceeds any punishment from courts. There is nothing to be gained in the public interest as a deterring sentence as no parent is going to see prosecution as more of a sentence than living with the death of a child. As for not speculating the English press are carrying highly detailed accounts with blow by blow from relatives and witnesses.

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    Mute Eyepopper
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    Jul 25th 2016, 7:27 PM

    @stephen – which is more than is reported.

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jul 25th 2016, 7:40 PM

    “no there’s not” “here are way more details that were not in the article”

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    Mute darrell fahy
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    Jul 25th 2016, 4:28 PM

    Very vague and uninformative story.nice one

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    Mute Cosaint
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    Jul 25th 2016, 5:28 PM

    the rush to get news stories out there does lead to reporting when the facts aren’t yet known

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    Mute Qwerty
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    Jul 25th 2016, 4:30 PM

    *AFFECTED

    To all affected!

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    Mute Peter Fechter
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    Jul 25th 2016, 4:27 PM

    The Police have asked us not to speculate…

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    Mute Foghorn Leghorn
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    Jul 25th 2016, 4:37 PM

    What’s the point of an open comment section so

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    Mute Tony Canning
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    Jul 25th 2016, 6:00 PM

    So that people can immediately jump to it to say “religion of peace”?

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    Mute Fear Uisce
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    Jul 25th 2016, 7:29 PM

    Well you got there first

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    Mute Deirdre Meredith
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    Jul 25th 2016, 11:23 PM

    It amazes me that all the perfect parents when something like this happens are quick to blame. I agree some parents just go and do their own thing and expect everyone else to look after their child . I have read some cases were kids have been abused and they have been given back to the parents and eventually killed bit late charging the parents then This family as far as I can see were out for the day they knew their child had a fear of water so would not have thought he would go near the water on his own but he did and now parents are been charged with neglect. It’s something that they will have to live with but adding this charge on them for a simple laspse of judgement that you or I could make is crazy they have enough punishment to deal with.

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