Friday, May 30, 2025 - A body has been discovered amid a major hunt for a schoolgirl who fell into the water at a reservoir while out on a walk with her dad.
Emergency services were called to Baitings Dam near
Ripponden, West Yorkshire, England, at 1.17pm on Wednesday, May 28, and police,
fire and ambulance crews worked at the scene.
But the 13-year-old girl could not be found.
West Yorkshire Police said underwater search teams were
continuing with their attempts to locate her on Thursday, May 29, before the
latest update.
The girl was described as having "a really bright
future" and was out on a half-term walk with her dad when she fell over
the parapet.
The teenager, from Halifax, was having her photo taken with
her dad when she fell into the 140 feet-deep water. It is understood that there
was a 30 feet drop down from where she was standing into the reservoir.
West Yorkshire Police confirmed they had found a body this
afternoon with formal identification is yet to be completed.
Detective Inspector Laura Hall, of Calderdale’s Safeguarding
Team, said: “While formal identification is yet to take place, the girl’s
family have been informed and are being supported by specially-trained
officers
“My thoughts go out to her family and friends at this very
sad time. Our enquiries are continuing into the death in order to establish
exactly what happened yesterday, but we do not believe it to be
suspicious.”
Witnesses said her father was led away in an ambulance after
he appeared to be clutching his chest in pain whilst screaming out her
name.
Sue Ferris, 80, whose home overlooks the bridge, went to
comfort the girl’s family yesterday afternoon after witnessing the
tragedy.
She said: "The little girl was posing for photographs
before this happened. Her dad had been taking the photographs. It is
disgraceful that there are no life buoy rings anywhere on the parapet.
"Yorkshire Water added the white metal railings on top
of the stone structure some years ago now," Mrs Ferris told the Sun.
"But it only adds about half a foot to the barrier height and actually helps people to climb onto the wall. It gives them something to grip on to. All it is doing, is helping people to stand on the wall."
Police deployed search teams until the evening yesterday as they tried to find
the missing girl. Police Regional Marine and Underwater Search teams returned
to the dam today to continue their search.
Mrs Ferris, who spoke to the girl's family, said they told
her the teenager wanted to walk around the reservoir with her dad because it
was half term
"She had just got into grammar school, they told me.
They were very proud of her. She had a really bright future," Mrs Ferris
said. "It was just dad and daughter at the reservoir when she fell in. The
rest of the family came after the accident.
"Dad had been taking photographs, according to a
witness, and he also heard dad screaming and shouting her name after she fell
in - but he did not go into the water. He had some kind of heart problem and
was clutching his chest soon afterwards and was taken away by ambulance."
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