Birmingham boy, 8, named after drowning in River Arrow in Warwickshire

An eight-year-old boy has drowned after he fell into a river in a quiet market town.

Joshua Hillstead was pulled from the River Arrow in Alcester, Warwickshire at around 9.30pm on Monday (July 22).

He was given trauma care at the scene before being rushed to Birmingham Children’s Hospital where he died on Tuesday evening. A girl who was also in the river behind Kingfisher Way was assessed but did not need medical treatment.

Warwickshire Police say Joshua, from Maypole in Birmingham, suffered “complications resulting from drowning”.

Police statement

Detective Inspector Heidi Twynham said: “Losing a child is devastating, and we offer our condolences to the family after this tragic accident – we are liaising with the family to provide support.

“Fast, unpredictable currents and invisible deeper sections make rivers dangerous places, particularly for children and non-confident swimmers.

“Please take caution around our waterways. Thank you to our officers, members of the emergency services, and the hospital staff for everything you’ve done over the past few days.”

A spokesperson for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: “We were called to reports of patients in the water near Kingfisher Way at 9.32pm, three ambulances, two paramedic officers, a Hazardous Area Response.

“Team paramedic, a community first responder and the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance Critical Care Car attended the scene. On arrival, we found two patients who were already out of the water and needed medical treatment.

“A boy was in a serious condition and received specialist trauma care at the scene before being taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital. The second patient, a girl, was assessed and discharged at the scene.”

The tragedy came just hours before a 16-year-old boy drowned in nearby Netherton reservoir.