this post was submitted on 20 May 2026
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https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/mum-five-drowned-unimaginable-walsall-33972121

There are some odd things about this story.

Lots of stories lately of people drowning in canals but they seem to avoid the obvious question which is, why didn’t they just stand up? And the channel depth of canals includes the silt layer which covers the actual bottom, which can make canals a few inches shallower in places. There’s a myth that silt deepens canals, when it does the opposite.

Canals in the UK are still water, and do not have currents. So it's not like she got swept off her feet by a current.

This story has been all over Facebook lately in the UK. Many people have commented asking why she didn’t just stand up, and that question got a lot of likes, but no actual answers.

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[–] TinyLittlePuni@lemmy.world -5 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

Then it's a good thing I never said you can't drown in a couple inches of water, now isn't it? Do you not think it's at least a little bit odd that she didn't stand up in waist-deep water and the family isn't questioning this?

[–] unmagical@lemmy.ml 7 points 1 day ago

I don't.

When people fall they get stunned, maybe even break a rib or a leg, or get knocked out. There's so many factors that can apply when you fall in a canal that can lead to your death. That's a big part of why you shouldn't fall in one.

There's also fluctuations in water level that can come on suddenly which is why you shouldn't camp next to or spend a lot of time in them.

Numerous people have responded to you asking the same question over and over and again and you just refuse to learn. Why is that?

[–] serpineslair@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

Leave that to the family to question, if they so desire. Who are you, Columbo?