Full Breakdown
12-Year-Old Rescues Friend from Drowning After Seizure at Pensarn Beach
6/19/2026, 3:54:49 AM
Rescue at Pensarn Beach
On 28 May 2024, 12-year-old Tamika Hezzell and 14-year-old Sofia-Ann McKenna were pulled into deeper water at Pensarn Beach, Abergele, Conwy, during a heatwave. Sofia-Ann suffered a seizure and disappeared beneath the surface. Tamika, also dragged under, grabbed Sofia-Ann’s hair, lifted her onto her back and pulled both toward shallower water. A beachgoer performed CPR, and rescue teams from Rhyl, Llandudno, the coastguard, North Wales Police and the Welsh Ambulance Service arrived within minutes.
Context and Risks
Pensarn Beach is a popular drive-on shore that can become hazardous when tides shift. On the rescue day, a heatwave drew many swimmers, and the tide unexpectedly cut off three teenagers—Tamika, Sofia-Ann and Ruby Wilkins (12)—exposing them to strong currents.
Timeline and Key Figures
- 28 May 2024 – Tamika (12), Sofia-Ann (14) and Ruby (12) enter the water; tide pulls them into deeper water.
- Moments later – Sofia-Ann has a seizure; Tamika grabs her hair and pulls her toward shore.
- Rescue – A beachgoer performs CPR; coastguard, North Wales Police, Welsh Ambulance Service and teams from Rhyl and Llandudno arrive.
- Medical care – Sofia-Ann is taken to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan, where water is drained from her lungs; both girls recover after a week.
Impact and Safety Lessons
The rescue shows how swift peer action can prevent drowning during seizures, and it stresses the need for clear tide warnings, supervision of young swimmers and public education on seizure response at beaches.
Official Statements
Jade McKenna, Sofia-Ann’s mother, thanked Tamika and the women who raised the alarm, saying her daughter might not have survived without them. Shantika Hezzell, Tamika’s mother, called the incident a lasting shock and praised her daughter’s focus on rescuing her friend despite being dragged under. Emergency services said standard rescue protocols were followed and both girls received appropriate care.
Conflicting Reports and Gaps
The cause of Sofia-Ann’s initial seizure and the additional seizures she experienced in the ambulance remain under investigation, with no definitive medical explanation provided in the available reports.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I'm so grateful for Tamika. She put herself in more danger to save Sofia-Ann, she's my little hero.” — Jade McKenna, mother of Sofia-Ann
- “If it wasn't for Tamika getting Sofia up and out the water, by putting her on her back, she wouldn't be with us today,” — Jade McKenna
- “Tamika got dragged under as well but she still focused on Sofia and getting her out of the water.” — Shantika Hezzell, mother of Tamika
- “Tamika is my little hero – she put Sofia above herself and acted quickly," she told North Wales Live.” — Shantika Hezzell
What’s Next
Local authorities intend to review tide-monitoring signage at Pensarn Beach and to expand water-safety education for families and schools in the Conwy area.
