No answers after Cardiff teenager drowns at Discovery Cove theme park

An inquest has been unable to determine how a 13-year-old girl drowned during a family holiday at a theme park in Florida.

Anna Beaumont, from St Fagans, Cardiff, died while snorkelling at the Discovery Cove theme park in Orlando in May last year.

A documentary inquest into her death was held at South Wales Coroner’s Court in Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, on Thursday.

Coroner Kerrie Burge said there was no evidence that Anna, who had a history of childhood epilepsy, had a seizure at any time and concluded she died following immersion in water.

The inquest heard that Anna was snorkelling with her father, who moved away to see her younger brother. She was seen floating and unresponsive without her snorkel 10 minutes later, with blood and water in her mask.

Following efforts to resuscitate her by lifeguards on the scene, Anna was taken to the Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando but did not regain consciousness, and died on 29 May.

A post-mortem examination was carried out at the hospital, with her cause of death given as drowning, followed by seizure disorder.

The inquest was opened in June last year because Anna had a history of childhood epilepsy.

“There is no evidence to confirm how Anna came to be unresponsive in the water, she was not seen to have a seizure or to encounter any difficulties,” Ms Burge said.

“It is not possible to establish, on the balance of probabilities, how Anna came to be in difficulties in the water.”

Anna, a pupil at Radyr Comprehensive School, was previously described by her family as “a beautiful soul”.