The family of a “compassionate” and “brave” teenager who died after swimming in a Cheshire lake has paid a moving tribute to him.
David Tita Jr, 17, was “ripped away from having a rich and full life” after he got into trouble in the water at Pickmere Lake near Northwich on Tuesday, his family said.
Cheshire Police previously said the body of a teenage boy had been recovered from the water following extensive searches in the area.
In a tribute released by the force on Friday, Mr Tita’s family said “no words” could ever describe the loss of their son.
“He was not only a son, but a friend, a brother and a very supportive force to us, his family and the wider Crewe community,” they said.
“David was compassionate, sensitive, brave and full of light. When he smiled, it was as mountains smile to see the spring. His smile and touching empathy were infectious, as was his impactful capacity to reach out, build relationships, help and support those around him.”
They added his death had “stolen the chance of ever having to see you grow old and have your own children and family”.
“This pain in our chests will never leave us and will forever be within our hearts because we love David and that’s something no one can take away from us,” they continued.
“Tonight, and tomorrow and for the rest of our lives, we will look for you in the stars, the heavens and through sunsets and remember who you were, until we meet again.”
At least 12 people, including Mr Tita, are now believed to have died in open water after several days of a record-breaking heatwave in the UK.
Declan Sawyer, 15, died after getting into trouble at Swanholme Lakes, Lincoln, on Sunday.
Also on Sunday, a 72-year-old woman died after being pulled from the water at West Angle Bay beach in Pembrokeshire, Wales, at around 3.15pm.
A 13-year-old boy, understood to be Reco Puttock, died after getting into difficulty at Leadbeater Dam, near Halifax, West Yorkshire, on Monday, while the body of a teenage girl was recovered from the water at Kingsbury Water Park, Warwickshire.
The same day, a man in his sixties died of cardiac arrest after entering the sea at Tregirls Beach, Padstow, to help two family members who were in difficulty, Devon and Cornwall Police said.
The body of a teenager was recovered from the water at Rother Valley Country Park, Rotherham, in the early hours of Tuesday morning, South Yorkshire Police said.
Another body has been found in the search for a teenage boy who went missing after he was last seen swimming at Hawley Lake on the Hampshire/Surrey border on Tuesday afternoon.
A 12-year-old boy who died after getting into trouble in the River Ribble at Ribchester, Lancashire, on Tuesday was named as Junior Slater from Clayton-le-Woods.
A 14-year-old’s body was recovered from the River Thames near Donnington Bridge, Oxford, after emergency crews were alerted at about 5.30pm on Wednesday.
On Thursday, Police Scotland said 16-year-old Charlie Noble had died after getting into difficulty in water near Callander.
Charities, including the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), have warned of the “very real” risk of swimming in open water in the heatwave.
While temperatures are high, water has not had a chance to heat up, so swimming could lead to cold water shock.
