Bawsey Pits death inquest: Boy was 'high risk' for swimming

Umar Balogun was taken to Bawsey Pits by two residential care workers, the inquest in Norwich heard

Two care home workers looking after a teenager who drowned in a lake did not see a risk assessment that said he was a "high risk" for swimming, an inquest has heard.

Umar Balogun, 16, of Waltham Forest, London, died at Bawsey Pits, near King's Lynn, Norfolk, on 16 July 2013.

Umar was being cared for at a Castle Homes' centre in Cambridgeshire.

Two workers who took Umar to Bawsey said they had not seen his risk assessment document.

The inquest in Norwich heard from the two care workers who took Umar and another boy to Bawsey - Vanda Cawley and Kevin Roweth.

'No swimming sign'

Ms Cawley had been brought in for the day from another home.

The hearing was told Mr Roweth had only started the job a couple of weeks before and had previously worked at JD Wetherspoon and McDonald's.

Ms Cawley and Mr Roweth said they were not familiar with the boys' risk assessment forms.

The hearing was told that swimming was seen as "high risk" for both of the boys.

Ms Cawley said at Bawsey she did see a no swimming sign and she told the boys there would be no swimming.

'No splashes'

She said the boys then got up and started paddling. But then, she said, Umar went under.

"I told Kevin to go in and he did. I said, 'I'm ringing the police', which I did," she said.

"I was looking for ripples to see where he was but there were no ripples, no splashes. No sign of distress at all."

The inquest heard that Mr Roweth is currently under investigation by the Health and Safety Executive.

The manager at the home, Lyana Sinclair-Russell, who had recently been appointed, said she had seen Umar's file but "not in depth".

But she had previously seen and signed a risk assessment form for the other boy who went to Bawsey Pits that day, which said he had a "high risk" when it came to swimming.

The inquest continues on Wednesday.