Man with Down's syndrome died after carer 'landed on him' when jumping into pool, inquest told

17 February 2025, 14:35 | Updated: 17 February 2025, 17:11

A man with Down's syndrome died after his carer "landed on him" when jumping into a swimming pool, an inquest has heard.

Michael Parker, 43, died on 12 June 2023 while on holiday in Spain with residents and staff members from The Grange care home in Bookham, Surrey, where he lived.

An inquest heard from support worker Harry Beckwith - who was also on the trip - that Mr Parker was "jumping in and out" of a swimming pool on the day of the incident and he decided to "jump in with him".

Speaking to Surrey Coroner's Court on Monday, Mr Beckwith said: "We jumped in and out a few good times before the incident happened."

The worker said Mr Parker jumped "to his left" and added: "I jumped to the right trying to miss him but somehow he had gone underneath me and I landed on him."

He then told the inquest he realised Mr Parker was "not there" and had gone "to the bottom" of the pool.

Mr Beckwith then said he went down to pick him up, took him to the pool's stairs, and asked the lifeguard for help.

He added that he and Mr Parker had jumped into the pool the day prior and were not told they could not do so - and that he had not received any lifeguard training or specific training regarding individuals with Down's syndrome.

Mr Beckwith said he had completed some training regarding safety and taking care of clients in and around swimming pools and said he did not have any difficulties communicating with Mr Parker.

Elaine Smith, who was staying at the hotel at the time and saw the incident from a nearby sun lounger, said she saw Mr Beckwith land "right on Michael".

She said people saw that Mr Parker "did not come back up" after he and the support worker jumped in together.

"Harry dived to the bottom of the pool and brought him up, he had his arms underneath Michael and brought him along to a shallow bit in the pool and that's when the lifeguard jumped in as well and he was just lying in Harry's arms flat with just his head moving," she told the inquest.

The court heard she described the moment as a "horrible freak accident" at the time in a written witness statement.

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In a statement from Mr Parker's family, his brother described him as "full of life and energy" with an "innate sense of empathy".

Read by Emily Raynor, representing, the family added: "Michael's death has devastated us all."

(c) Sky News 2025: Man with Down's syndrome died after carer 'landed on him' when jumping into pool, inquest told