Kyra Hill Drowning: 11-Year-Old Girl Was ‘Unlawfully Killed’ Due to Serious Safety Failures, Coroner Rules

A coroner has ruled that the tragic drowning of 11-year-old Kyra Hill at a Berkshire water park was a case of unlawful killing, caused by severe health and safety breaches at the facility.

Kyra, from Croydon, South London, drowned while attending a birthday party at Liquid Leisure, near Windsor, on 6 August 2022. She was found over an hour after first reports of her struggling in the water.

Emergency Response Failed

At the inquest held at Berkshire Coroner’s Court in Reading, Senior Coroner Heidi Connor found that Liquid Leisure’s response to the emergency was deeply flawed. A 17-year-old lifeguard saw Kyra struggling in the water around 3:20 PM, jumped in briefly, and then alerted colleagues. However, emergency services were not contacted until 37 minutes later.

It wasn’t until 4:30 PM that a diver entered the water in search of Kyra. She was only found at 5:10 PM—nearly two hours after the first signs of distress.

No Emergency Plan, No Risk Assessment

Coroner Heidi Connor said that the water park lacked a proper emergency plan or any risk assessment, describing this as a “gross failure” in basic safety standards. The swimming area had no warning signs about deep water, despite the area reaching depths of 4.67 meters (15.3 feet).

Life jackets were not required for children over the age of five unless they were non-swimmers—a rule the coroner found deeply troubling.

In June 2024, the owner of Liquid Leisure was fined £80,000 for the safety failures.

“A Beautiful, Beaming Beacon of Light”

Kyra’s father, Leonard Hill, gave a moving tribute during the inquest. Fighting back tears, he described his daughter as “a beautiful, beaming beacon of light in the lives of all who were fortunate enough to know her.”

The court also heard how flowers were laid outside Liquid Leisure following her death, as the community mourned the loss of the young girl.

Justice and Accountability

The coroner’s conclusion of unlawful killing is one of the strongest legal statements that can be made during an inquest. It suggests criminal negligence led directly to Kyra’s death.

While Liquid Leisure has since faced legal penalties, the case has triggered renewed calls for tighter regulations, lifeguard training, and mandatory safety measures at all public water attractions in the UK.