A 10-year-old boy drowned in a river even though his friend tried to rescue him.

Shadrack Appiah was a 10-year-old boy who had a fear of water. Despite his fear, he enjoyed playing with his friends near the River Kennet in Reading. One summer day, on August 21st, 2023, tragedy struck when Shadrack became submerged in the water.

His best friend, who was also with him at the river, heard his cries for help and bravely jumped in 10 times in an attempt to save him. Even a mother of one of his friends, who arrived shortly after, tried to rescue Shadrack by jumping into the river twice. However, their efforts were in vain.

The Berkshire Fire and Rescue team were called to the scene and after 20 minutes of searching, they found Shadrack in the river. He was quickly taken to the hospital but unfortunately, he did not survive. The entire community was shaken by the news of Shadrack's tragic death, and his family was inconsolable.

At the inquest, Shadrack's swimming teacher revealed that he had taken 10 swimming lessons in Year 5, but he still couldn't swim. This added to the shock and sadness of the family and friends who knew Shadrack. His grand-uncle, Doctor Stephen Appiah, spoke on behalf of the family and shared that Shadrack had always been afraid of water. Despite their efforts to help him overcome his fear, it seemed to only intensify with time.

The inquest also revealed that there were no warning signs in the area where Shadrack drowned, even though The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents had recommended them. It was only after this tragic incident that Reading Borough Council installed these signs to prevent future accidents.

The coroner, Hannah Godfrey, stated that it was likely that Shadrack's death was a result of drowning in a case of misadventure or accident. This was a heartbreaking conclusion for the family and friends of Shadrack, who could not believe that he had died in the very thing he was so afraid of.

The entire community mourned the loss of this young boy, who was taken too soon. Shadrack's family will always remember him as a kind, loving, and brave boy who will be dearly missed.

[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]