Distraught parents of five-year-old boy who drowned at water park say ‘someone may have overpowered him’
Charlie Dunn was found by a boy looking for his lost goggles after he wandered off while the couple were packing up the car
PARENTS arrested over the death of five-year-old Charlie Dunn who drowned at a water park believe he could have been PUSHED into the water.
Mum Lynsey Dunn, 28, and stepdad Paul Smith, 35, were taken into custody on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter after the tragic youngster died on Saturday.
His body was found by a boy looking for his lost goggles after he wandered off while the couple were packing up the car to leave the attraction in Market Bosworth, Leics.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and took Charlie to hospital but nothing could be done to save him and he was pronounced dead at 7.30pm.
Today Charlie's step-grandmother Sharon Robinson, 30, told how her son and Lynsey planned to visit his body in the chapel of rest at University Hospital Coventry to say their goodbyes yesterday morning.
They were released on bail by police at 8.30pm on Sunday.
She also revealed the lagoon beach where Charlie was found was the last place they searched after he went missing as he "hated" water because he could not swim.
Speaking from her home in Tamworth, Staffs., the carer said: "They are devastated.
"They didn't even have time to grieve properly.
"We went to the hospital because Charlie had a very slight pulse and he died at half past seven.
"They were arrested straight away at the hospital. They put them in separate police cars and kept them separate.
"They were held there all night and released yesterday."
They added: "I think it (their arrest) is a formality. They have to investigate it. It's a case of because you weren't with your child at the time you're guilty but that's not always the case.
"Children can disappear out of your sight.
"Nobody knows why Charlie went to the water. He said 'can I got to the park?'
"Charlie's parents want to know what happened themselves and why he went to the water.
"We all want people to go to the police because they want closure, they want to know the last few minutes, how he ended up in the water.
"Anybody who was in the water, can they say they saw him, did they see him struggling in the water?
"They are not guilty because they didn't do anything, the problem is we don't touch anybody else's children in this day and age. You have that stigma.
"You get to the stage where you get angry because you ask why did it happen?"
She added: "Charlie was only little, somebody even a year older than him could have overpowered him.
"His parents think there might have been a child out there who pushed him over. We just don't know.
"We want people to come out and say if they saw anything.
"If he had been pushed the first thing he would have done is opened his mouth and taken a massive amount of water in because he would have been panicking.
Charlie was only little, somebody even a year older than him could have overpowered him.
Sharon Robinson
"And that along with the pneumonia would have rendered his body useless.
"He couldn't swim because he didn't like water.
"We are not hiding anything, they are not hiding anything, they want the police to investigate.
"The police are quite willing to accuse the parents who would never do anything to their children."
Paul had only realised that it was Charlie being pulled out of the water at Bosworth Water Park when he recognised his Minions patterned shorts.
He told his mum it was the last place they expected to find Charlie because it was hard enough to make him take a bath.
As a result Sharon said they believe Charlie may have been accidentally or deliberately knocked into the water.
She added: "They just feel as if they are being blamed.
"Paul said to me 'Mum he said he was going to the park. The last thing I remember saying to him is don't go off anywhere'.
"He watched him go towards the park.
They are very distraught about the whole thing. They want to wake up and it be a big bad dream.
Sharon Robinson
"It (the water) was the last place they thought of looking because it was out of Charlie's character.
"Paul went to the park thinking Charlie was hiding from him on the park because he wanted to stay longer.
"He said 'never once did it come into my head that he would be near the water'.
"They had been there on numerous occasions and he wasn't a big fan of the water.
"They had been in together that day, all of them, but they hadn't gone into any deep water because the children didn't like it.
"He couldn't swim because he didn't like water. It was a nightmare to try and get him to have a bath."
She added: "They are very distraught about the whole thing. They want to wake up and it be a big bad dream.
"It was hard for them going back to the house last night. They both broke down.
"They have to try and carry on with their life."
Leicestershire Police confirmed the couple had been released on bail until September pending further enquiries and urged witnesses to carry on getting in touch.
A spokeswoman added: "Our investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death are ongoing.
"The two people arrested in connection with the incident and have now been released on police bail pending further enquiries.
"If anyone witnessed the incident or has any information that could assist with our enquiries please contact us.
"Equally if you recorded any video footage at the park on Saturday around the blue lagoon beach we'd like to speak to you."
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