Schoolboy with 'strong attraction' to water runs away from grandparents' house and tragically drowns

Luke How, 14, was recovered drowned successful the River Bollin successful Trafford, Greater Manchester, successful January this twelvemonth arsenic an inquest into his decease heard however helium had an attraction to water

A teenage boy with a “strong attraction” to h2o ran distant from his grandparents’ location and drowned, an inquest heard.

Luke Howe was recovered dormant successful the River Bollin, successful Trafford, Greater Manchester, successful January this year. The inquest heard the 14-year-old went to the toilet aft dinner, but erstwhile helium did not return, his gramps went to cheque and noticed the beforehand doorway was open.

Police were called and friends, family, neighbours and adjacent Luke's teachers joined the hunt for him successful freezing temperatures arsenic they looked with torches. A constabulary diver recovered him successful the River Bollin the adjacent day.

Luke’s father, James, told the inquest his lad made regular flight attempts and regularly jumped into canals oregon rivers arsenic helium had a “strong attraction” to water, Manchester Evening News reported. He said: “Running disconnected and escaping continued to beryllium a beardown impulse for him.

“We deliberation it is apt helium made his mode straight to the stream and arsenic helium has done successful the past, entered the h2o impulsively without realising the danger. He loved spending clip with his family.

“He managed to marque maine grin adjacent erstwhile we were successful hospital. Luke was a existent quality who was good known successful the area. He hated staying successful the house.

“He liked going camping and connected holidays together. Luke loved spending clip with some sets of his grandparents. He was a precise cuddly boy. He was truly a precise loving person.

"His decease has been a immense nonaccomplishment to his household and everyone who knew him. He is precise sadly missed and is successful our hearts everyday."

He added his son's conditions, including ADHD and autism, made him impulsive with a deficiency of fearfulness and said helium often got into unsafe situations without adjacent realising it. Mr Howe said Luke was “really happy” and was “really good supported” astatine school. He added helium loved the outdoors, euphony and to climb, but was besides “extremely bully astatine figuring retired doors and locks”.

The inquest heard Luke was reviewed by the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service each 3 months and had a carer. He was besides prescribed a scope of medication.

Mr Howe elaborate the immense lengths the household went to to support Luke harmless arsenic they fitted chiming sensors to each the doors and utilized interior locks, cardinal safes and model locks. Detective Inspector Richard Lees, from Trafford CID, said helium could not regularisation retired whether Luke had slipped oregon jumped successful from a bridge. The tragic death, helium added, wasn't treated arsenic suspicious.

There were steep embankments connected either broadside of the agelong of the stream wherever Luke was recovered and the somesthesia was 'extremely cold' with crystal connected the ground, helium added. After giving his evidence, Det Insp Lees said constabulary officers effort to enactment emotion aside, but Luke's decease had touched a batch of people.

A pathologist who carried retired a post-mortem introspection gave the origin of decease arsenic drowning. The inquest astatine Stockport Coroner's Court continues.