Tragedy as pond fall boy dies

Feb 23 2007 By Steve Johnson, Birmingham Mail

A THREE-YEAR-OLD boy who appeared to be making a miracle recovery when he was brought back from the brink of death after falling into a garden pond has died.

Tyler Wood, from the Beechdale area of Walsall, had stopped breathing when paramedics raced to the scene of the drama, in Tanhouse Avenue, Hamstead, Great Barr, on February 13.

But neighbours managed to revive the youngster with the kiss of life and heart massage, with ambulancemen taking over the resuscitation, before he was rushed to Sandwell General Hospital.

He was taken to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire in Stoke-on-Trent, where he was thought to have made a remarkable recovery.

He was well enough to be transferred on Wednesday from Stoke to the Manor Hospital, at Walsall, but he suffered a relapse en route.

Doctors at the hospital battled through Wednesday night to save the youngster, but his family said that his fight for life was finally lost yesterday.

Tyler had wandered off while playing with friends at the home of his aunt Nichola Mattocks in Tanhouse Avenue 10 days ago.

Nichola found him face-down in the garden pond and his mum, Stephanie Harris, dialled 999.

Stephanie, aged 29, told the Mail on Wednesday, before Tyler was transferred to Walsall, that doctors and nurses at Stoke had labelled her son Superman for the way he appeared to be recovering.