Children and teenagers are mostly very joyful and do enjoy having a laugh. But when does one know when to draw the line before the joke gets out of hand? One such incident occurred when a 17-year-old schoolboy on a rugby tour was pushed into a lake by a friend and consequently drowned.
An inquest heard how Abdul Jamal Ottun, from Wallington County Grammar School, Surrey, died on 12th July 2015 after going swimming off a jetty with his rugby teammates in Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island, Canada.
Classmate and friend, Brume Umukoro told Southwark Coroner's Court that Ottun had been fasting prior to drowning. He said, “He was practicing Ramadan. I believe he was worried with keeping up with the physical activity. He had stopped his fast.”
The coroner criticised his rugby coach, Dus Sotiriou who was allegedly taking photographs instead of supervising the boys swimming. Senior coroner, Andrew Harris said, “Mr Sotirious was taking photos and if you are taking photos you cannot be supervising boys at the same time.” The inquest continues.
