An 11-year-old girl, who had a fear of water, tragically drowned in a very shallow hotel pool while on her first family holiday abroad, according to an inquest. Francesca Blease, from Crewe, Cheshire, was found face down in the children’s pool at the Club Jandia Princess Hotel in Fuerteventura, Spain. Despite being in the pool for a short time on August 7 last year, it is uncertain how long she was submerged underwater.

The HM Senior Coroner for Cheshire, Jacqueline Devonish, mentioned that the duration underwater was likely brief. Two holidaymakers immediately performed CPR on Francesca by the pool before emergency services arrived. She was airlifted to a hospital in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, where she succumbed to severe brain hypoxia the next day.

Despite Francesca’s inability to swim and lack of supervision, the coroner noted that the shallow pool, ranging from 10cm to 60cm deep, did not pose an obvious danger for a child of her age. The coroner stated there was no foreseeable risk for the incident to happen, and no signs of distress or injuries were evident.

Dr. Patrick Morgan, a consultant anaesthetist specializing in drowning physiology, suggested that Francesca, who had a fear of water and limited swimming ability, may have lost her balance, become scared, and inhaled water, leading to the tragic accident.

The coroner ruled the death accidental, expressing sympathy to the family during the hearing. Francesca’s mother, Joanne, described her daughter as a joyful and beloved child. She mentioned that Francesca was afraid of water and opted to play in the children’s pool during their first family holiday abroad. Ms. Blease shared the deep impact of losing her daughter and how Francesca’s presence lit up any room she entered.