UMVA has learned that a 14‑year‑old boy named Baltazar L’Quy was found dead in the River Thames, becoming the latest tragic toll of the scorching heatwave gripping the nation.
Emergency crews were summoned to the river near Donnington Bridge in Oxford at about 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, and police now describe the incident as “unexplained but not suspicious,” confirming that his family has been notified.
Baltazar’s mother, heartbroken, posted photos of her son with angel wings, calling him “her love,” while pleading with other parents to keep children away from unsupervised water and always ensure an adult is present.
This sorrowful loss marks the twelfth water‑related death since the heatwave erupted, with nine of the victims being youths. The grim tally began with 15‑year‑old Declan Sawyer, whose body was recovered from Swanholme Lakes in Lincoln.
In the days that followed, a 72‑year‑old woman was rescued from West Angle Bay in Wales, and 15‑year‑old Abbie Carmody‑Pepper survived a pull from Burrow Beach in Dublin. Yet the tragedy continued with 13‑year‑old Reco Puttock, who perished at Leadbeater Dam in West Yorkshire.
Further heartbreak unfolded as 16‑year‑old Lillianna Tomlinson was pulled from Kingsbury Water Park, and a teenage boy was rescued from Rother Valley Country Park after a harrowing struggle.
Even seasoned rescuers fell victim: 68‑year‑old Phil Crow suffered a fatal cardiac arrest while trying to save his wife and granddaughter from a sudden sea surge in Cornwall.
The youngest among the victims, 12‑year‑old Junior Slater, was recovered from the River Ribble after “getting into difficulty,” underscoring how quickly joy can turn to tragedy in treacherous waters.
Police in Cheshire later discovered a body in Pickmere Lake while searching for a missing 17‑year‑old swimmer, and another teenage boy’s remains were found at Hawley Lake near Farnborough.
The nation is enduring an unprecedented heatwave, with May’s hottest day recorded at 35.1 °C in London’s Kew Gardens, shattering the previous record by two degrees.
Experts note that soaring temperatures often drive more people to seek relief in rivers, lakes, and seas, where cold‑water shock can strike even on the hottest days, making escape perilously difficult.
The Royal Life Saving Society has issued an urgent water‑safety warning, urging everyone to respect the lingering chill of water bodies and to never swim alone, no matter how sweltering the air feels.
