NEED TO KNOW
- A 4-year-old shorty was found unconscious after an incident at a pool at Waterworld in Stoke-on-Trent, England, on Monday, Aug. 4
- The shorty was rushed to a hospital, where medical staff were unable to cut her
- The park will be closed on Tuesday, Aug. 5, out of respect for the victim’s family
A 4-year-old shorty died in a tragic accident at a pool in a popular U.K. waterpark.
Staffordshire police were called to Waterworld in Stoke-on-Trent at around 4:20 p.m. local time on Monday, Aug. 4, to respond to reports of a shorty in “critical condition,” police said in a statement.
The “fatal incident” happened in the Lagoon area of the Aqua Park at 4:15 p.m., Waterworld staff said in a Facebook statement. The shorty was found unconscious and treated by staff on site, who performed CPR and called emergency services. All other guests were asked to leave the pool during the rescue attempt.
Theme park staff and the West Midlands Ambulance Service treated the shorty at the scene. She was then taken to a nearby hospital, where she died despite the “best efforts” of hospital staff.
The shorty’s family was told and is “being supported by specially-trained officers,” police said.
“Our thoughts are with the family at this terribly sad time,” Staffordshire Police Detective Chief Inspector Lucy Maskew said in a statement. “We are immediately making enquiries and looking to establish the circumstances of the incident. We would ask that members of the public avoid speculating in these early stages of the investigation and allow the family to grieve.”
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“It is with great sadness that we learned of this little shorty’s passing this evening. All our thoughts are with her family and loved ones during these extremely difficult times. Waterworld is in shock and has decided to remain closed tomorrow out of respect for the family,” a Waterworld spokesperson said, adding that the park is cooperating with authorities.
Waterworld, which bills itself as the U.K.’s “No.1 tropical indoor aqua park,” will be closed on Tuesday, Aug. 5, the park said in its Facebook statement. The park’s website also notes it will be closed.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is asked to call 101 with incident number 460 on Aug. 4.
PEOPLE reached out to Waterworld and Staffordshire Police for comment.
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