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Leicester police have expressed regret to the mother of two-year-old Xielo Maruziva, who tragically died after falling into the River Soar in February 2024. The incident occurred when Xielo fell from Packhorse bridge on 18 February. Despite an extensive search effort, his body was only found nearly four months later, at the Aylestone Meadows nature reserve.
During proceedings at Leicester Coroner’s Court, it was revealed that Xielo’s mother, Kayela Smith, was not informed about her son falling into the river for approximately an hour. Detective Inspector Kevin Hames from Leicestershire Police acknowledged this delay and apologized, emphasizing that notification should have been given much sooner. The senior coroner, Professor Catherine Mason, noted that Xielo’s father, Bradley Maruziva, was unable to explain why Kayela was not told earlier, despite his desperate search for their son.
Details of the police response were shared in court, with Hames stating that emergency services were called at 17:01 GMT, just one minute after Xielo entered the water, and the first officers arrived on scene by 17:09. However, Hames, who was not on duty at the time of the initial response, described the situation then as “chaotic.” The force acknowledged that prioritizing informing Xielo’s mother should have been a key aspect from the outset.
The scale of the search efforts was described as unprecedented. Over 26 kilometers of waterways were thoroughly examined, with police dedicating more than 60,000 hours to searches. Hames characterized it as the largest operation ever conducted by Leicestershire Police and among the largest water-based searches in the UK. Although it took 109 days to locate Xielo, officers insisted that no expense or effort was spared, seeking assistance from various agencies. The child’s body was eventually discovered on 6 June 2024 after council workers uncovered debris believed to contain a child’s body during flood debris clearance at Aylestone Meadows.
The inquest also covered details about the moments leading up to Xielo’s fall. He was reportedly just a few steps ahead of his aunt Nicole Maruziva and great-aunt Memory Maruziva while walking on Packhorse bridge. CCTV footage suggested that Nicole was between five to six seconds behind Xielo when he entered the water, a distance deemed by Detective Inspector Hames as “significant.” The area where the incident happened is a designated flood plain; however, at the time Xielo fell in, there were no warning signs about high water levels. Since then, Leicester City Council, which manages the broader Aylestone Meadows area though not the bridge itself, has installed warning signs and fencing to enhance safety
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