Heartbreak for family of British schoolgirl, 13, who died after being found in swimming pool at Florida resort after they are forced to fly home without her

• Anna Beaumont died the day after she was found at Discovery Cove, Orlando 

The bereft family of a 13-year-old British schoolgirl who died after an incident in a Florida theme park’s swimming pool have reportedly flown home to Wales.

Talented rower Anna Beaumont, 13, was found unresponsive in the water at Discovery Cove in Orlando on Tuesday, May 28 at around 11.25am. She was later pronounced dead in hospital.

Discovery Cove is described as an all-inclusive day resort and ‘tropical oasis’ where families can swim with dolphins and snorkel with thousands of tropical fish in its famous saltwater coral reef pool.

A week on from Anna’s tragic death, her parents Peter and Elizabeth and younger brother Jake have reportedly had to make the agonising trip back from the US to Cardiff without her.

A family friend said last night: ‘This is just so tragic. Like any family they were very excited by the holiday. You never dream of coming home without a child.’  

The medical examiner’s office in Florida has said the teenager’s death was accidental with the cause being listed as a drowning.  Orange County police have said their investigation remains ongoing. Once her body is released by the coroner she can be flown home to the UK. 

The Beaumonts were spending half term on a dream holiday to Florida last week but tragedy struck early in their break. 

Anna was a cyclist like her father, who trains triathletes, and had raised £900 for the Noah’s Ark children’s hospital with an Ironman ride next to her father.

Recently the 13-year-old had posed proudly with her bike at the finish.

She was also a ‘talented’ member of a local rowing club and had a keen interest in sports along with the rest of her family.

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Colleagues of her mother Elizabeth, who works at Cardiff University, were described as devastated at her loss.

Trevor Wing, Chairman of Llandaff rowing club, said Anna was ‘a keen rower who had been training hard all winter and was enjoying the recent water sessions’.

He added: ‘She was a lovely and talented young lady and will be greatly missed.

‘All the junior section and the rowing club wish to express their heartfelt condolences to Anna’s family.’

Staff at her school in Radyr, Cardiff, today comfort classmates just two years after fellow pupil Aryan Ghoniya, 13, vanished in the River Taff while playing with friends.

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Both attended Radyr Comprehensive where the headteacher Andrew Williams called Anna ‘a cherished member of our school family’.

Mr Williams: ‘The very thought of losing a child is an unimaginable journey and I know I speak on behalf of the whole school community when I say that our thoughts are with Anna’s family as they try to come to terms with their loss.

‘Anna was a cherished member of our school family, and her absence will be profoundly felt by pupils, staff and all who had the privilege of knowing her. Her spirit, kindness and presence touched so many lives.’

In an email to parents, the school said it would be briefing staff on how best to support pupils in the coming weeks after the loss of the year 8 pupil.

He urged them to ‘listen and encourage them to talk about their feelings’.

Regarding the death in Florida, a Foreign Office spokesperson said: ‘We are in touch with the family following the death of a child in the United States, and are providing consular support during this difficult time.’

Discovery Cove describes itself as an ‘all-inclusive day resort’ on its website and says it offers opportunities to swim with dolphins and snorkel among tropical fish. It is a sister park of SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica Orlando.

In a statement, police said: ‘We are sorry to report that on May 29, 2024, 13-year-old Anna Beaumont was pronounced deceased at the hospital. Any information about the cause and manner of her death will need to come from the Medical Examiner’s Office.’

A spokesperson for the site stated that its ‘staff responded to an emergency involving a guest’ and that they contacted Orange County Fire & Rescue.

‘When emergency personnel arrived, they took over care and transported the guest to a nearby hospital. Our thoughts are with this family, and out of respect for their privacy, we won’t be commenting further,’ said the spokesperson.