Inquest hears Down's syndrome man died after carer landed on him in pool

An inquest has revealed that Michael Parker, a 43-year-old man with Down's syndrome, died after his support worker, Harry Beckwith, accidentally landed on him while jumping into a swimming pool during a holiday in Spain on June 12, 2023. Beckwith testified that he and Parker had been playfully jumping in and out of the pool prior to the incident, believing they were having fun without any warnings against such activities. He stated that he aimed to jump beside Parker but inadvertently landed on him due to obscured visibility from a nearby waterfall feature. After realizing Parker was at the bottom of the pool, Beckwith retrieved him and called for lifeguard assistance. The inquest also highlighted that Beckwith lacked specific training for supervising individuals with Down's syndrome and had not received lifeguard training. Witnesses described the scene, noting that Parker did not resurface after the jump, prompting urgent rescue efforts.