A one-year-old boy drowned in a paddling pool after bending over to retrieve an Action Man toy, an inquest has heard. Jameel Abdulhameed died at Royal Derby Hospital three days after the incident in his back garden in Somercotes, Derbyshire, just before his second birthday.
The inquest at Chesterfield Coroners Court heard that Jameel, described as a 'happy and mischievous' child, was playing with his twin brother next to the pool on June 2, 2021. The pool had been bought for them weeks earlier. His mother had briefly gone inside to clear plates from a picnic lunch and returned to find him unresponsive in the water.
She performed CPR and took him to a local shop, where an ambulance was called. Despite efforts from paramedics and the air ambulance, Jameel was pronounced dead in hospital. A post-mortem found no health issues or defects with the pool.
Assistant coroner Sarah Huntbach concluded that Jameel had bent over the side of the 38cm-deep pool to retrieve a toy, lost his balance, and fallen face down. She recorded a verdict of accidental death, noting that 40 to 50 per cent of drownings involve children under four.
Huntbach offered condolences to the family, saying: 'It reminds us all of the dangers of young children near water. This was a very tragic accident.' The family did not attend the hearing.
