A TODDLER was found dead by his father after he drowned in a caravan park lake, an inquest has heard.
Phillip Holland found his young son, Corey James Holland, in the water at the Lakeside Caravan Park, Cheshire on August 22, 2019.
The dad desperately called 999 with CPR performed on the tot before an ambulance arrived – with witnesses saying they heard shouts of “help me, help me” after the tragic discovery.
Corey was rushed to Leighton Hospital, Crewe, by a rapid response team before he was later pronounced dead.
Before his discovery, the father recalled putting the toddler to bed, later checking on him when he was fast asleep.
When the parents woke, they found the child was missing from his bed, sparking a frantic search.
A woman on the site then alerted the panicked-stricken family to the whereabouts of the toddler after she spotted a baby wearing pyjamas walking in between the caravans and near a lake.
Tragically, father Philip found Corey face up in the water minutes later near to a jetty.
I wish I could change things
Phillip Holland
Giving evidence at an inquest in Warrington Coroners Court, he suggested that Corey must have managed to open the locked door of his own accord while he and his partner slept.
He added he knew the door was locked the night before as he had checked before the couple went to bed.
When the toddler was rescued from the lake, he received medical attention on the spot as on site staff and ambulance crew attempted to resuscitate him.
Coroner Alan Moore recorded the medical cause of death as “consistent with drowning.”
Detective Inspector Stuart York of Cheshire Police added that was not known whether Corey went into the water out of his own ‘inquisitiveness’ or fell in, as no one had seen him by the water.
He concluded “I am satisfied that the evidence pointed to being a tragic accident.”
The inquest heard how Cory’s mum and Dad, Phillip and Kimberley Mackenzie, had been holidaying with their other children and a family friend.
They were staying at Phillip’s mum and dad’s – Janet and James Holland – caravan, arriving on August 21.
They had all enjoyed dinner and were watching television on a pull-out bed before Phillip put baby Corey to bed in a travel cot.
Father Phillip said that the 16-month-old would usually sleep in the same room as him and his partner, however this time the couple fell asleep on the pull out bed in the living room.
A day later Phillip woke up and realised Corey was not in his bed and one of the caravan doors next to the room where the baby was sleeping was slightly ajar.
A tragic accident
Inspector Stuart York
In a statement, the woman who first spotted him said she later heard a man shout “help me, help me” and when she looked out of her kitchen window she could see a man walking up and carrying something on his shoulder.
She said it was then she knew “something terrible had happened” as the baby did not appear to be moving and she called for an ambulance.
She added that she was ‘devastated’ to find out later that day the baby had died.
Concluding, coroner Alan Moore said: “I want to say how incredibly brave you have been today and not just today, as I know you have lived with this for a long time.
“You’re a lovely family and I can see that.”
The coroner said he would also write a report to “the right people” of the caravan park and the local council highlighting what has happened.
