A SCHOOLGIRL died after swimming on a full stomach when she headed into the water for the final time on a day out, an inquest heard.
Lucy Reed, 15, had tucked into a “substantial” lunch of pizza and chips while visiting Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, on June 23, 2023.
MuchLoved.comLucy Reed died while swimming in Cleethorpes[/caption]
The inquest heard she and a pal then entered the water shortly after eating but quickly found themselves drifting away from the shore.
After around 30 minutes, Lucy tried to swim to a point where she could stand but she vomited, inhaled the contents of her stomach and lost consciousness.
She was eventually rescued three hours after entering the water and was tragically declared dead in hospital.
A post mortem found Lucy died from asphyxia after inhaling gastric contents.
Ruling a verdict of misadventure, Greater Lincolnshire senior coroner Paul Smith highligted the dangers of eating a substational meal before swimming.
He said: “Lucy Alexandra Reed died on 24 June 2023 in the River Humber at Cleethorpes as a consequence of asphyxiation.
“She had travelled to the coast for a day trip. She ate a substantial lunch and shortly thereafter went into the shallow water.
“The tide was falling and they rapidly found themselves out of their depth and drifting away from the shore. Neither were strong swimmers.
“After she had been in the water for approximately 30 minutes as Lucy tried to swim towards a point at which she could stand, she vomited, inhaling her gastric contents and losing consciousness.
“Although her death was not formally confirmed for several hours, on balance of probability it occurred within minutes of the incident described above. It was the unintended consequence of her swimming on a full stomach.”
Lucy’s mum told the court how they had all taken a day trip to Cleethorpes and were due to leave via coach at 2.30pm.
After playing in the arcades, the group headed for lunch where the mum urged Lucy to let her food settle before going for a swim.
But the teen insisted she wanted to go in the water before boarding the coach home and went bathing with her pal while her mum went for a walk.
When Lucy failed to show up at their planned meeting point, her mum began searching the area before she was told to call police.
She rang 999 at 2.22pm and the Coastguard were alerted at 3.15pm.
Emergency crews spent more than three hours attempting to find Lucy before they eventually discovered her further out into the river than originally believed.
After the hearing, a spokesman for The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said: “Our thoughts remain with everyone affected by the tragic events of 24 June 2023.
“Incoming tides don’t just come in from out at sea – they can also sneak up behind you and cut off your exit route, leaving you stranded and in danger.
“By knowing when it’s high and low tide, you can make sure you’ll get back in plenty of time without putting yourself at risk.”
MEN MediaLucy was swept away from the shore by the tide[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
