A 15 year-old girl's friends tried to save her after she went under the water in a Powys river, an inquest concludes
A 15-year-old girl who died in a Powys river had been playing with friends, who tried to save her, an inquest has concluded
Holli Smallman from Welshpool, was found at 8pm on Friday, August 9 after a search of the River Severn.
Following an inquest opened on August 20 2024 a final inquest took place at Pontypridd Coroner’s Court on Friday, November 14.
It was told Holli was socialising with a group of friends on August 9 2024, on the banks of the River Severn. Everyone was in good spirits and they decided to go into the river.
Holli was not a particularly strong swimmer and everyone was paddling and playing around, rather than swimming.
The river has shallow and deeper areas, along with a weir, where the water moves a little faster. Holli slipped under the water close to the weir.
Despite the best efforts of her friends to grab hold of her and to find her, Holli could not be located and did not resurface.
Emergency Services were called and Holli was found just over 3 hours later.
Sadly, Holli was pronounced deceased at the River Severn, Severn Banks on August 9 2024.
H M Coroner Kerrie Burge in the Coroner's area for South Wales Central Coroner Area concluded that on the balance of probabilities Holli died as a result of accidental drowning.
She said the medical cause of death was submersion in water (drowning).
Holli was born on June 22 2009 at Wrexham and was the daughter of Gareth Ray Smallman, a lorry driver, and Michelle Guest, a housewife, of Bryn Y Castell, Welshpool.
Holli’s heartbroken family described her as a "loving and caring girl".
Her family have since warned of the dangers of swimming in open water, raising awareness of the dangers and urging parents and children to take care.
They have shared their own experience on social media and organised fundraising events for charities that educate children about the dangers.
Paying tribute to Holli, who went to Welshpool High School pupil and was a Welshpool Army Cadets member, her family said; "We are so heartbroken and would never want any other family to go through the pain that we are going through.”
In a statement released through Dyfed-Powys Police at the time of her death, they said: "She had her whole life ahead of her and there will be a hole in our lives that will never heal, and we will never forget the amazing person that Holli was.
"She loved her family, and she loved her friends and showed that every day.
"We also have in our hearts and minds the friends who were with Holli that tragic day.
"The dangers of water have been brought home in a way that no one can imagine."
Holli's death was one of 193 accidental water-related fatalities in the UK in 2024 according to the National Water Safety Forum.
Its figures suggest that inland waterways, such as rivers, canals and reservoirs, continue to be the leading locations for drownings, accounting for 61% of accidental fatalities in 2024.
A dedicated water safety and drowning prevention strategy was brought in by the Welsh government in 2020.
Water Safety Wales, a group which brings together organisations including the Welsh government, also aims to cut the number of drowning casualties by promoting "a consistent and common approach to water safety".
Its figures show there were 54 water-related fatalities in Wales in 2024, with the figure remaining between 48 and 55 between 2020 and 2023.
