Devastated mum’s tribute to stream death teen
BY SALLY HIND s.hind@dailyrecord.co.uk A HEARTBROKEN mum has paid tribute to her teenage son who died after being pulled from a stream at the weekend.
Michael McDowall, 16, was pronounced dead in hospital after he was hauled from the water on Saturday.
His mum Carol, 42, changed her Facebook profile picture to a photo of her smiling son yesterday and posted an emoji of a broken heart under the image.
She later said in a statement: “Me and my family would like to thank everyone for their support and my beautiful boy will always be in our hearts and will never be forgotten.”
We told yesterday how Michael was pulled from the Luggie Water in Kirkintilloch, near Glasgow, by fire crews and taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow but nothing could be done to save him. It’s understood a group of teenagers had gathered next to the water, which was higher than usual after a day of heavy rainfall.
Locals said the area can be “dangerous” and the water fastflowing during bad weather.
Police taped off the spot where the tragedy happened over the weekend and were understood to be speaking to the friends of the teenager, who was from nearby Bishopbriggs, in a bid to find out what happened.
Pals paid tribute to the former Bishopbriggs Academy pupil on social media.
One wrote on Facebook: “Canny believe you’re gone, bro. RIP Michael McDowall GBNF.”
Officers said the death was being treated as unexplained and a post mortem was being carried out to establish the exact cause.