Body found in search for missing girl, 3, who fell into Baitings Dam reservoir

A body has been discovered amid a major hunt for a schoolgirl while out on a walk with her dad

The emergency services were called to Baitings Dam near Ripponden, West Yorkshire, at 1.17pm on Wednesday and police, fire and ambulance crews worked at the scene, but the 13-year-old girl could not be found. said underwater search teams were continuing with their attempts to locate her on Thursday before the latest update.

The girl was described as having "a really bright future" and was out on a half-term walk with her dad when she fell over the parapet. The teenager, from Halifax, was having her photo taken with her dad when she fell into the 140 feet-deep water. It is understood that there was a 30 feet drop down from where she was standing into the reservoir.

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West Yorkshire Police confirmed they had found a body this afternoon with formal identification is yet to be completed. Detective Inspector Laura Hall, of Calderdale’s Safeguarding Team, said: “While formal identification is yet to take place, the girl’s family have been informed and are being supported by specially-trained officers.

“My thoughts go out to her family and friends at this very sad time. Our enquiries are continuing into the death in order to establish exactly what happened yesterday, but we do not believe it to be suspicious.”

Witnesses said her father was led away in an ambulance after he appeared to be clutching his chest in pain whilst screaming out her name. Sue Ferris, 80, whose home overlooks the bridge, went to comfort the girl’s yesterday afternoon after witnessing the tragedy.

She said: "The little girl was posing for photographs before this happened. Her dad had been taking the photographs. It is disgraceful that there are no life buoy rings anywhere on the parapet.

"Yorkshire Water added the white metal railings on top of the stone structure some years ago now," Mrs Ferris told the Sun. "But it only adds about half a foot to the barrier height and actually helps people to climb onto the wall. It gives them something to grip on to. All it is doing, is helping people to stand on the wall."

Police deployed search teams until the evening yesterday as they tried to find the missing girl. Police Regional Marine and Underwater Search teams returned to the dam today to continue their search.

Mrs Ferris, who spoke to the girl's family, said they told her the teenager wanted to walk around the reservoir with her dad because it was half term.

"She had just got into grammar school, they told me. They were very proud of her. She had a really bright future," Mrs Ferris said. "It was just dad and daughter at the reservoir when she fell in. The rest of the family came after the accident.

"Dad had been taking photographs, according to a witness, and he also heard dad screaming and shouting her name after she fell in - but he did not go into the water. He had some kind of heart problem and was clutching his chest soon afterwards and was taken away by ambulance."

A police spokesperson said on Wednesday: "Shortly after 1.17pm this afternoon police were called to a report a girl had fallen into water at Baitings Dam near Ripponden. Emergency services are currently on the scene, with searches ongoing to locate the girl."