Grieving family of girl, 11, who drowned at waterpark which had no signs warning of deep water say they never received an apology - after coroner ruled she was unlawfully killed

Daily Mail​

24-05-2025

The grieving family of an 11-year-old schoolgirl who drowned at a waterpark which had no signs warning of deep water have demanded an apology after accusing the company of showing 'no remorse'.
Kyra Hill got into difficulty in a designated swimming area at Liquid Leisure near Windsor, Berkshire, on August 6 2022 while enjoying a birthday party.
She did not return to the changing room, sparking 'chaos' as parents and staff started screaming her name across the Total Wipeout-style assault course.
Despite emergency services being called, Kyra was not rescued for almost two hours after which she was taken to Wexham Park Hospital, in Slough, where she was pronounced dead.
Senior coroner Heidi Connor concluded that Kyra had been unlawfully killed following gross health and safety breaches at the park.
Now Kyra's parents, Leonard Hill and Heather Parker, have criticised the company and said they find it 'distasteful' that they have never received an apology from them two years after their devastating loss.
In an interview with Sky News after the inquest, Mr Hill said: 'Liquid Leisure have never been in touch with me personally, never sent us a word of condolence not even an email to say sorry for your loss. Nothing. And I find that very distasteful of them.'
The grieving father said although an apology can't bring back his little girl but he would have appreciated the gesture, adding: 'A young girl has died on your premises - 11 years old and she should've been safe.
Kyra's parents Leonard Hill and Heather Parker (pictured) have criticised the company and said they have never received an apology or any words of condolence
Senior coroner Heidi Connor concluded that Kyra had been unlawfully killed following gross health and safety breaches at the park
'And you've acknowledged some of your failings but to turn around and do the gracious thing and apologise, it wouldn't have brought Kyra back but it would have shown a small source of remorse.
'But they've not done that.'
MailOnline has contacted Liquid Leisure for comment.
The coroner pointed to failings in health and safety measures at Liquid Leisure in relation to Kyra's death.
The breaches were linked to the depth and visibility of the water and the absence of an emergency plan and risk assessment, she found.
There were no signs warning of deep water despite it reaching 4.67 metres in parts of the designated swimming area, Ms Conner said.
'In fact the only sign present warned of shallow water', she added.
Parents and carers were not advised to attend with children in a ratio of one to four, and young children were permitted to swim without buoyancy aids, Ms Connor said.
There was also no emergency plan or risk assessment that took those factors into account, and no control measures were identified and put in place to 'take account of these clear risks', she said.
In the interview with Sky, Mr Hill described the terrible moment he was told of the death of his daughter.
He said: 'It's the most disturbing phone call I've ever received in my life, the most disturbing phone call that Kyra is underwater, that Kyra is missing.'
He added that he didn't want to believe it could have been her and said he still held out hope that she would be found alive.
He said: 'I was hoping Kyra was washed up on a bank somewhere safe and breathing. I could never have imagined she went down and was left in the same spot for two hours.
'It's a horrible call to receive. I remember it like it was yesterday but to hear that your daughter is underwater - you're searching online how long can someone survive underwater?
'You can see that within ten minutes they can come out brain damaged but there's still a chance of survival.
'I remain of the stance she could've been saved and she should've been saved and if Liquid Leisure had emergency plans in place she could have been saved and they didn't and that's very sad.'
The lake was 8.8ft deep where Kyra was seen going under, a report carried out after the incident found.
At around 3.20pm on August 6 2022, a 17-year-old lifeguard spotted Kyra struggling and dived in after her before leaving the water to radio her colleagues.
A manager attended rapidly but 37 minutes passed before 999 was called, Mrs Connor previously told the hearing.
Around 13 minutes before emergency services were contacted, the park owner attempted to phone a divemaster and off-duty firefighter, the inquest had heard.
The diver, Chris Knight, missed several calls and CCTV showed him first entering the water with an oxygen tank at 4.33pm.
Mr Knight previously told the inquest that he searched two parts of the lake before he was told that CCTV showed Kyra going under at another location.
He found Kyra near the third area at around 5.09pm.
He said that as far as he was aware no-one had looked at the CCTV by the time he arrived at the park.
Describing his daughter, Mr Hill said: 'Kyra was my princess, she was the perfect child, she did everything right she made me so proud.
'I look at Kyra's pictures everyday and its breaks me. I have to stand at her graveside to speak to her now and it breaks me, going over those days are sickening.'
Her mother, Ms Parker described her daughter as happy and positive, choking back tears she add: 'Kyra was just happy she was always happy, always active from the moment she woke up she was just a bundle of joy, always positive.
'She was loving, so loving she always wanted to help people do what was right.'
The distraught parents are now demanding changes to the regulations around water parks to prevent against future deaths.
Mr Hill told Sky News that seeing an improvement in the law is something he thinks Kyra would be proud of, saying: 'Nothing is ever going to bring Kyra back but I want to see the change implemented by those in power who have the power.'
He concluded the interview by saying: 'She would have wanted change and to know she did not die in vain she would be smiling from the heavens to know the law was changed and no other children suffered the pain she did.'