Boy's hotel pool death was drowning accident

Theo Treharne-Jones was on holiday with his parents, siblings and extended family

A five-year-old who died on a family holiday in Greece drowned accidentally, a coroner has concluded.

Theo Treharne-Jones, from Merthyr Tydfil, was found unconscious in a swimming pool at Atlantica Holiday Village in Kos, a Greek island, on 15 June 2019.

The inquest heard that Theo, who had been diagnosed with Smith-Magenis syndrome, displayed "autistic behaviours" which meant he often woke up at night and was less naturally cautious.

Theo had been able to leave the hotel room as there was no chain on the door. The assistant coroner issued a prevention of future deaths report and said he would send it to the tour operator and travel agents to protect other vulnerable children or adults.

The inquest at Pontypridd coroner's court heard that, despite his family placing obstacles, including two buggies and a suitcase, in front of their hotel room door, Theo managed to escape.

Mum Nina Treharne previously recounted how the family had gone to bed, after dinner the night before Theo was found in the water, and were woken up by shouting in the morning.

"There was banging and someone was shouting: 'There's a child in the pool, there's a child in the pool.' It was like waking up to a nightmare."

Despite the efforts of other holidaymakers and hotel staff to resuscitate him, Theo was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

Atlantica Holiday Village in Kos

Ms Treharne told the inquest their room had a standard hotel door lock.

When they had stayed at the hotel previously, in another room, the door did have a door chain.

TUI's general manager for overseas health and safety, Libby Jones, said following Theo's death, the tour operator had considered whether it was feasible to install door chains on all hotel rooms.

"It's not meant as a locking mechanism to keep you in the room, it's a security feature to prevent entry," she said.

Ms Jones said TUI had considered whether it was possible, practical or safe to install chains on the doors at all of its hotels.

She said it was deemed too great a fire risk.

"We didn't want people fumbling about in the dark, in possibly a smoke-filled room, trying to undo a lock," she said. "We did consider it, but decided not to go ahead."

Assistant Coroner Gavin Knox issued a prevention of future deaths report on Wednesday which he said he would sent to TUI and the Association of British Travel Agents (Abta) regarding Theo's death.

"I am still concerned that families with vulnerable children or adults are still in the position where somebody may potentially leave their room unsupervised and face a number of scenarios which are hazardous," said Mr Knox.

He said he had evidence that TUI had already considered fire safety to be a priority and could not make specific recommendations to them.

"I cannot guarantee that any changes will be made," said Mr Knox, but said he hoped they will consider looking at the issue of door chains again.

He paid tribute to those who helped try to resuscitate Theo and passed on his condolences to the boy's parents.