Boy Drowned At Lake Bryndwr

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29745, 12 February 1962, Page 10

Boy Drowned At Lake Bryndwr

A young boy was drowned in Lake Bryndwr on Saturday afternoon. He was: Graeme Douglas Carron, aged 10, the son of Mr and Mrs G. O. Carron, of 7 Courtenay street, St. Albans.

The body was recovered by a police skin diver. It was entangled in thick weed.

It is believed that the boy was drowned about 3.45 p m. but it was some time before it was realised he was missing. He went to the lake with his brother, Trevor Edward Carron, aged 13. John Moir, aged 14, of 56 Hudson street, was swimming with a group <■* boys when he touched something beneath the water, but he did not realise at the time that it was a body. The water was very dirty. The other boys in the group were Garry Benson, aged 14, his brother Warren, aged 12, of 370 Clyde road, and Michael Woodfield, aged 14, of 112 Memorial avenue.

The boys played on for about half an hour and then they saw Trevor Carron, who was crying. He said he had lost his brother. The group and some girls made a search round the lake, but could not find him.

Warren Benson cycled to his home and told his mother. She telephoned the Central Police Station. Constables J. G. Harris and S. Grounds, of the Papanui Police Station, went to the lake and made a search for the missing boy. A radio call was sent to the Centra) Police Station and DetectiveConstable A. Peters went to the lake with an aqualung about 5.45 p.m. He is a foundation member of the Canterbury Underwater Club and an experienced skindiver. >

The police have a roster of voluntary skindivers to assist in an emergency, but none was available so Detective - Constable Peters was taken off special inquiries to help in the search.

In the meantime, a man had organised some of the boys to search for the body. It took Detective-Conetab.e Peters about 15 minutes to find the body. The silt had been disturbed and visibility had been reduced to about 18in. He found the body entangled in thick spongy weed which made it difficult to recognise in the murky water. It was in a hole about Bft to 19ft deep. The boy was last seen alive standing waist deep in water adjusting a mask and goggles. It is believed that the mask may have slipped down over his mouth and filled with water, causing him to panic. It is understood that he could not swim. An inquest will be opened this morning and will be adjourned sine die after evidence of identification has been given. The owner of the property. Mr G. S. Jonathan, said last evening that there were notices at the lake stating that trespassers would be prosecuted. It was private property and only members of authorised clubs or persons who had been given permission were entitled to be there. The police made a regular patrol of the area.