A two-year-old boy who drowned after falling into a river was ‘a significant distance’ from his family who had claimed they were just a ‘few baby steps’ ahead, an inquest heard.
Xielo Maruziva drowned in the River Soar, which runs through Leicester, after he fell into the water during a winter walk in February 2024.
His aunt, Nicole Maruziva, had said that she was only ‘a few baby steps away’ from the child when tragedy struck, but her evidence was contradicted by Detective Inspector Kevin Hames at the inquest.
CCTV footage showed that it took Nicole between five and six seconds to reach the point where the two-year-old fell in. However, the angle from Aylestone Meadows made it impossible to calculate the distance accurately.
Nicole jumped into the river to try to save the little one, but she could not see the youngster in the muddy water and was struggling in the strong current herself.
In order to visualise the distance covered in five seconds, coroner Professor Catherine Mason had DI Hames stand up and walk across the room for five seconds – covering several metres.
The coroner asked: ‘Is that a greater distance than was given in court yesterday?’
DI Hames replied that it was.
Xielo Maruziva, 2, tragically drowned in the River Soar, Leicester, during a winter walk with his aunt and great aunt near his fathers house on February 18, 2024
Xielo’s aunt Nicole Maruziva claimed they were only ‘a few baby steps’ behind the toddler but DI Kevin Hames contradicted this, saying they were a ‘significant distance away’ after he looked at the CCTV footage
He confirmed that he was ‘confident’ the distance was ‘more than “a few baby steps”‘, and that it was ‘a significant distance’ when questioned by the coroner.
The hearing also discussed why, despite the rapid response of Leicestershire Police, it took about an hour before Xielo’s mother, Kayela Smith, was informed that her only son was missing in the river.
DI Hames said: ‘It would have been very chaotic and the priority would have been to find Xielo and save his life.’
The jury in the inquest has previously heard that Xielo was out for a winter walk with his aunt Nicole and his great-aunt, Memory, on the evening of Sunday, February 18, 2024 near his dad Bradley Maruziva’s home.
The toddler was walking ahead of the two women as they were crossing the historic Packhorse Bridge in Aylestone Meadows, which has a low stone wall on either side at about 5pm.
Xielo got to the end of the bridge and turned to the side, stepping into the water.
Nicole told the inquest at Leicester’s City Hall yesterday (Monday, February 2): ‘Xielo was a bit ahead of us and I could see him turn.
‘I saw Xielo from the side and he took a step and he wasn’t there anymore.
Xielo’s father Bradley Maruziva ran to the scene from his home nearby after a panicked call from Nicole. He had to be dragged from the river by police after desperately searching for his son for 15 to 20 minutes and rushed to hospital with hypothermia
Xielo’s body was not found for four months after weeks of futile searches following the tragedy
‘I ran. I looked down and I jumped into the water. I couldn’t see him because the water was so muddy.
‘I was using my arms to find him. It was deep water, up to my chest.
‘I didn’t feel anything but the water.’
She had called Xielo’s father Bradley ‘panicking’ after the toddler went in. Mr Maruziva previously told the court how he raced to the Aylestone Meadows reserve to rescue his son.
He recalled: ‘The current was very strong. Because I directly jumped in, it took me underneath. It took me under the bridge, and I had to hold on to a branch because I physically didn’t have any strength. I was just trying to search.’
Mr Maruziva said he was in the water for 15 to 20 minutes, and had to be physically dragged from the river by police after he refused their pleas to climb out of water.
He was rushed to hospital, suffering from hypothermia.
Xielo’s little body was not found for four months. Searches had been carried out for weeks following the tragedy but had failed.
The inquest continues.