Family say they are ‘broken’ by death of boy, 12, in wall collapse

The parents of 12-year-old boy who died after a garage wall collapsed have said they are heartbroken.

They said that Scott-Swaley Daniel Stevens was a “well-loved boy” with lots of friends, that he “will be missed by so many” and that “as a family, we cannot explain the hurt we feel and we are broken”.

He died after a wall which was attached to a house in St John’s Road, Clacton, collapsed on Friday evening, Essex Police.

Emergency services were called out just before 7pm and firefighters managed to free both the boy and a man in his 30s, who were known to each other, from under the bricks.

Scott-Swaley died at the scene and the man who was rescued from the rubble suffered an arm injury.

Police are not treating the incident as suspicious.

A family tribute, released through Essex Police where no further details were given, said: “After a tragic accident, our son Scott-Swaley has sadly passed away.

“As a family, we cannot explain the hurt we feel and we are broken.

“Our Swaley was a well-loved boy who had friends not only in Clacton, but also in Dartford and Wickford and will be missed by so many.

“As a family, we would like to ask for privacy at this difficult time whilst we come to terms with our loss.

“We appreciate and would like to say thank you for all of the kind tributes to our boy.”

Detective Inspector James Hardingham, leading the investigation, said: “My thoughts are with the family and friends of those concerned at this sad time.

“We’re continuing our enquiries to establish the facts leading to the wall collapse.”

Police are asking anyone who has information or who saw anything that could help the investigation to make contact.

The house the garage was attached to has been made safe.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service station manager Nick Singleton has also said that “our thoughts are with everyone who knew the child as well as the wider Clacton community”.

He added: “Our firefighters worked incredibly hard to save both casualties and this is never the outcome we want to see.

“We will be offering further support to all of the firefighters who attended this difficult incident.”