‘COMPLETELY DEVASTATED’ 

Family pays tribute to tragic teen girl, 16, who died after getting into difficulty in river at country park

THE “devastated” family of a girl who drowned during the bank holiday heatwave have paid tribute to their beloved daughter.

The body of Lillianna Tomlinson, 16, was recovered from Kingsbury Water Park, Warwickshire after emergency services searched the River Tame for an hour on May 25.

Lillianna Tomlinson, 16, was recovered from Kingsbury Water ParkCredit: Warwickshire Police
Police responded to reports of a girl getting into difficulty in the water at around 6.10pm – but she sadly passed away before they could locate her.

Her family said: “We’re deeply saddened to be writing that Lillianna’s life has been taken in the most tragic way.

“Our family is completely devastated and will be forever heartbroken.

“We would like to take a moment to sincerely thank our community for the love, compassion and support that has been shown to us, and for sharing in our grief – it means more than words can express.

“During this incredibly difficult time, we kindly ask for privacy while we come to terms with what has happened.”

The family are continuing to be supported by specially-trained officers.

Lillianna is one of 17 people in the UK and Ireland who have perished in water during the recent heatwave.

On the same day that Lillianna drowned, there were four other deaths in similar circumstances.

Reco Puttock, 13, died after being rushed to hospital after being pulled from Leadbeater Dam in Halifax, West Yorkshire.

Muhammad Secka, 16, also sadly died in the water at Rother Valley in South Yorkshire.

Phil Crow, 68, also lost his life after running into the water when his granddaughter and wife were pulled out to sea in Cornwall.

Chiedza Nyanjowa, 15, was rushed to hospital after an incident on Formby beach, Merseyside, but tragically died of her injuries.

Prior to this, the body of 15-year-old Abbie Carmody-Pepper was recovered off Burrow Beach near Howth, Dublin, by the Irish Coast Guard last Sunday evening.

On the same day, a 72-year-old woman tragically died in the water in Pembrokeshire, Wales.

And the body of Declan Sawyer, 15, was found by police after they conducted an extensive search of Swanholme Lakes in Lincoln.

On Tuesday afternoon, Junior Slater, 12, vanished while swimming with friends in the River Ribble, in Lancashire.

The body of 17-year-old David Tita Jr was found at Pickmere Lake, in Cheshire, after an extensive search operation with a police helicopter.

A teenager was also pulled from Hawley Lake near Farnborough, on the border of Hampshire and Surrey, the same afternoon.

On Wednesday, the body of a 15-year-old boy was recovered from a pond in Swanscombe, Kent.

Baltazar L’Quy, 14, died the same day after getting into difficulty in the River Thames in Oxford.

The following evening, Charlie Noble, 16, was recovered from the water at Bracklinn Falls near Callander, Stirling.

A 19-year-old became the fifteenth teen perish after being pulled from Balderton Lake in Nottinghamshire.

On Saturday, a woman aged in her 60s died after entering the sea at Fleetwood Beach in Lancashire to rescue her dog.

CRE: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/39275273/teen-girl-dies-river/