Boy, 2, drowned in canal on same day family were moving house because of water fears
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A family of a toddler who was found "submerged" in a canal were in the process of "moving to a new home to minimise the risk of drowning". Jayce Olutola, 2, was discovered "floating face down" in the Wolverhampton and Birmingham Canal on August 11 last year. He vanished from his home in Ettingshall after escaping from his home. A police officer, who was searching for him, said she spotted him about two inches "below the surface".
The officer raced into the water and and tried to revive him, but he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. Black Country Coroner's Court heard that Jayce lived with his parents close to the waterway. His mother had left the house at around 5pm to move their belongings into the new property.
The inquest was told that she left the garage door open and about 30 minutes later, his great-aunt signalled the alarm that he had disappeared. It is suspected that he most likely escaped through the garage. Black Country Senior Coroner Mr Zafar Siddique read statements from the family who he said were excused from attending the hearing due to the distressing circumstances. He added: "Jayce lived with his parents who were in the process of moving. His father was at work and his mother left at bout 5pm to move things into the new property. At some point his great-aunt noticed she could not hear Jayce in the house.
"She searched the house and saw that the garage door was open. She immediately went to search round the house for him and out in the streets nearby. Sadly she could not find him and started to look round the canal area. His mother then returned and dialled 999 to report him missing.".
