Solihull freezing lake tragedy: Thousands raised for families of four ‘princes’ who died within hours

A fundraising page to the four ‘princes’ who died in a Solihull lake has reached over £50,000 in a matter of hours. The page also revealed that two of the victims were brothers.

Jack Johnson, 10, passed away after bravely trying to save brothers Finlay Butler aged eight and Sam Butler aged six, and their 11-year-old cousin Thomas Stewart, all perished after falling in to a freezing Babbs Mill Lake, in Kingshurst, Solihull. It has now emerged one of the boy’s ‘frantic’ dad’s waded into the lake with a dog walker to try and rescue the boys before emergency services arrived.

Firefighters and police then entered the chilly waters with one officer punching through the ice to reach the boys and pull them from the lake on Sunday afternoon (December 11).

Jack and Thomas were pronounced dead that day while Finlay died on Monday (December 12). Police confirmed that Sam, who had been in a critical condition, had also lost his fight for life bringing the tragic death toll to four on December 14.

Friends have now set up a Gofundme page to raise funds for the grieving families of the ‘Babbs Mill Princes’. It has already smashed its £10,000 target within 16 hours of being set up and more than four times the amount has been raised. Organiser Sharon Doyle said the boys had fallen through the ice after “forgetting the dangers taught by their parents” before young Jack heroically tried to save them.

She wrote: “Our hearts are broken for the four Little Princes. On Sunday, 11th December 2022, a group of children played in a local park near an open lake. Being children and adventurous, they forgot the dangers taught by their parents and risked going onto the icy lake.

“Four boys fell through the ice and into the lake. The frantic father of one of the lads and a dog walker entered the lake to try and help the boys.

“The emergency and rescue services arrived promptly and began the rescue. Sadly, Jack (aged 10) and a young boy (aged 11) lost their lives on Sunday, 11th December 2022. Another young boy (aged 8) passed away in the early hours of the morning on Monday, 12th December 2022

“The younger brother of the 8-year-old, aged 6, remained in critical condition until Wednesday, 14th December 2022, when sadly, he gave up his fight and gained his wings.

“Jack Johnson sadly passed away after falling in, bravely trying to save the other children. No parent expects to lose their children so young, and sadly, no amount of money would ever place them back in our arms, but with our help, we can hopefully ease the worry of the financial costs they will need to meet.

“This tragedy is heartbreaking, has brought a community together, and has affected people’s hearts worldwide. Condolences go out to all three families and their relatives.”

West Midlands Police confirmed yesterday the search for any other people in the lake had now been called off following the six-year-old’s death. A force spokesperson said: “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.”

Yesterday Aston Villa footballers Tyrone Mings and John McGinn laid a wreath on behalf of the club the day after Birmingham City manager John Eustace.

Their tributes joined a mountain of of floral bouquets, soft toys, teddy bears and balloons at the foot of a tree which has become a shrine for the grieving community. Emergency crews were first called at 2.36pm on Sunday. The boys were all in cardiac arrest and given treatment at the scene before being rushed to hospital.

Witnesses previously described how they had seen people running towards the lake and children’s screams or ‘pure panic and fear’. One local resident described coming across one ‘hysterical’ teenage girl, believed to be one victim’s sister, sobbing: “My brother, my brother!”