British girl, 13, dies after being found unconscious in an Florida theme park pool as school pays tribute

A British schoolgirl has tragically died after being found unconscious in an Florida theme park pool.

Anna Beaumont, 13, died just two days after she was found at Discovery Cove around 11.25am on Tuesday.

Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff's Office rushed to the theme park, which is a sister park to SeaWorld.

The Welsh teenager was taken to a local hospital in critical condition but a medical examiner's report concluded after her death that she had died in a drowning accident.

Staff at her school Radyr Comprehensive in Cardiff paid tribute today, with headteacher Andrew Williams calling Anna 'a cherished member of our school family'. 

Anna Beaumont, 13, was found unresponsive at the Discovery Cove theme park in Orlando

Anna Beaumont, 13, died just two days after she was found at Discovery Cove

Mr Williams said: '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'.

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.' 

The drowning tragedy comes after fellow pupil Aryan Ghoniya, also 13, died while playing in the River Taff with friends after class two years ago.

Aryan - known as the 'little Professor' to his family - was found in the water 55 minutes later by emergency services

Aryan had a following on TikTok after posting a video naming 109 countries which gained more than a million hits.