Christopher Kapessa: Boy died after dangerous prank at river, inquest rules

christopher-kapessa:-boy-died-after-dangerous-prank-at-river,-inquest-rules
Christopher Kapessa: Boy died after dangerous prank at river, inquest rules

A Coroner has ruled that a 13-year-old boy died after being deliberately pushed into a river in what was described as a “dangerous prank.” Christopher Kapessa drowned after getting into difficulty in the River Cynon near Fernhill, Rhondda Cynon Taf, in July 2019. The Coroner stated that evidence from Jayden Pugh, who said that he had slipped and fallen into Christopher, was “untrue”. He said Christopher was pushed by Mr Pugh, now 19, as a “prank”.

Mr Regan said there had also been “no clear or general understanding as to Christopher’s ability to swim” amongst his friends before they went to the river that day. He said Christopher fell 2.5m (8ft) from the ledge into the river, into water that was 2.5m deep and that he was likely to have suffered from cold water shock, which would have led to the involuntary ingestion of water. Mr Regan said there was “no evidence that Christopher’s death was caused by any racially motivated action” and that there was no “evidence of animosity” between any of the children, who all spoke of Christopher as a friend.

Mr Regan recorded a narrative conclusion at the end of the inquest in Pontypridd, saying: “Christopher Kapessa, aged 13, died by submersion when initially pushed by another child into the River Cynon. The push was a dangerous prank. However, the child responsible did not intend to cause Christopher’s death and himself jumped into the water, with other children, as an unsuccessful attempt at rescue.”

Concluding the inquest, Mr Regan gave his condolences to Christopher’s family, wishing them “all the best for the future” adding that he was “very sorry” for their loss. This is a tragic story of a young boy who lost his life due to a careless prank that went wrong. It highlights the need for increased awareness of the dangers of water and would encourage everyone to prioritize their safety when near the water

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