16-year-old boy dies after losing bet over jump into freezing reservoir

In a shocking incident, a teenage boy lost his life due to a silly bet. The boy identified as Sam Haycock, 16, of Rotherham, Yorkshire lost a rock, paper, scissors bet after which he jumped into freezing reservoir. The shocking incident took place when the teenager was celebrating the end of term with his friends. 

Haycock drowned in Ulley Reservoir, near Rotherham, on May 28 last year after 'cannonballing' from a nearby bridge. People present at the spot heard one of the teens at the reservoir shout 'I'm drowning, I'm drowning'.

As per news report, Sam was recently diagnosed with autism and other complex medical problems and was unable to swim.

One person who was present at the spot, Craig Pennington, said: "I could hear what sounded like young lads laughing and joking around.

"I could see four teenage boys, it sounded like they were getting more excitable. It appeared like they were egging each other to jump into the water.

"One of the teenagers then started shouting: 'Help me, help me'. I went to see what was happening not realising the urgency until I got next to the side of the bridge. It all happened so quickly."

The court observed that one of the boys leapt in and tried to save his friend but was unable to do so.

Mr Pennington added: "We assisted the teenager hanging onto the bridge, ('C'), and between us we managed to get him out of the water."He kept saying: 'Where's my mate, where's my mate?'"

Another man, Conna Lee King added: "I heard one of the teenage voices shouting: 'I'm drowning, I'm drowning.'"

He said he was about 30 metres from the bridge and ran towards it. He said he helped haul 'C' out. He said: "He asked me to go back in for his mate.

"I replied saying I would go in but I couldn't swim. It all happened so fast."

The court heard a throw line was unsuccessfully used to try to rescue Sam. A 999 call saw the emergency services arrive at the scene and a firefighter bravely leapt in to try to find Sam but by then it was too late and his body was recovered later.