A five-year-old boy drowned on a household vacation in Greece after wandering to the resort pool alone earlier than breakfast – as a result of their room had no chain lock, an inquest heard.
Little Theo Treharne-Jones was discovered unconscious within the swimming pool of a resort on the island of Kos in June 2019.
3
3
The tragic teenager was described as an “excitable, completely satisfied, loving little youngster” as his devastated household gave proof.
Theo had “no sense of hazard” when he slipped out of his room to make his technique to the pool on his personal that morning.
His mum, Nina Treharne, revealed there was no chain lock on the door of their resort room and questioned whether or not there ought to have been tighter safety measures in place.
The household, from Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, had beforehand stayed on the Atlantica Vacation Village 9 months earlier.
After loving their first keep, they determined to return for as a gaggle of ten for one more break within the sunshine.
However once they arrived, they got totally different rooms to those that they had on their earlier TUI package deal vacation.
Ms Treharne informed the inquest in Pontypridd, South Wales: “The door had no chain lock on this room. We had positioned her two sons’ buggy and a suitcase towards the door as a precaution.”
The household went to mattress after dinner as ordinary – unaware of the nightmare that may unfold at daybreak.
Ms Treharne recalled: “We have been quick asleep. There was banging and somebody was shouting: ‘There’s a baby within the pool, there’s a baby within the pool’.
“It was like waking as much as a nightmare.”
Theo had been identified with Smith-Magenis Syndrome and had displayed “autistic behaviours”, his mom defined.
She mentioned this may occasionally have made him much less naturally cautious – and meant he was capable of depart the resort room unaccompanied.
Theo’s dad, Richard Jones, described his son as a “stunning youngster” with an “infectious snort and smile”.
When the alarm was raised, he rushed downstairs.
He informed the listening to he ran to the pool space “anticipating to search out Theo sitting in conjunction with the pool”.
However what he noticed left him shocked.
He was “shocked” to see somebody performing CPR on his son on a close-by sunlounger.
Fellow holidaymaker Stuart Zammitto-Nicholl had noticed Theo floating face down within the water.
He mentioned: “I scooped him out of the water and laid him down to start out doing CPR,” he mentioned.
“I used to be doing CPR for 5 minutes, however it felt like perpetually.”
One other visitor, Owen Samson, gave proof through videolink from Exeter.
He informed the inquest he was on the brink of attend a marriage when he noticed Theo close to the pool.
The little boy was pushing his buggy round, transferring it “in a figure-of-eight” and “laughing his head off”.
Mr Samson mentioned Theo had “no sense of the upcoming tragedy” that was about to unfold.
Coroner Gavin Knox mentioned the inquest would study precisely how Theo managed to depart his household’s resort room and attain the pool space on his personal.
He mentioned it could look intently on the security and supervision of the pool, and the data offered to visitors.
The coroner additionally desires to analyze the suitability of the door-locking mechanisms within the resort bedrooms.
He’ll have a look at what data visitors obtained about how the locks labored – and whether or not there have been alternatives to request further safety measures like door-chains.
Mr Knox mentioned he would be capable to summon TUI staff to the listening to, however that his jurisdiction over Greek nationals or residents could be restricted.
The inquest, anticipated to final three days, continues.
3
