Boy, 10, Died from a 20-Foot Fall Down a Manhole. Authorities Now Say His Death Could Have ‘Been Avoided’

A 10-year-old boy’s death could have “been avoided,” according to the results of an official investigation by authorities.

Shéa Ryan died of “a head injury with drowning” after falling into a manhole at a construction site in Glasgow, Scotland, sometime between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. local time on July 16, 2020, per an official police report published on July 30, 2025.

According to the report, Shéa and several other children entered the site and found the open manhole with a ladder inside. Shéa attempted to climb down the ladder when his grip slipped and he fell about 20 feet to the bottom.

The other children attempted to find Shéa and then ran for help when they didn’t hear a response. Shéa’s stepfather and a neighbor later arrived at the scene. They climbed down the manhole and found Shéa unresponsive in several feet of water.

Police were unable to resuscitate the child, and Shéa was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:07 p.m. local time, the report said.

The tragedy took place during a period of time in which the company that owned the construction site, Amey Black & Veatch (ABV), had temporarily transferred ownership to another, RJ McLeod (Contractors) Limited (RJM).

The police report claimed that ABV failed to communicate specific site risks to the new company during the transfer of ownership, and alleged that the company also failed to take “reasonable and sufficient measures to prevent unauthorized access” to the site during the transfer period.

The report added that ABV employees allegedly removed a heavy bag full of building materials from the top of the manhole several days before the accident, leaving it open and accessible — but they did not communicate such to RJM.

ABV also failed to communicate that there had been several prior incidents of trespassing, including by children, per the report.

Police said in the report that more routine site checks and safety protocols enacted on RJM’s part could have prevented the tragedy. Authorities added that Shéa’s death “might realistically have been avoided” if more precautions had been taken by both companies.

PEOPLE reached out to Amey Black & Veatch and RJ McLeod (Contractors) Limited for comment but did not receive a response.

The findings in the report, which was led by Sheriff Stuart Reid, were part of a fatal accident inquiry (FAI).

Unlike a criminal trial, an FAI attempts to establish the facts surrounding a death in order to learn from the results and prevent future similar tragedies. It is “not a formal hearing which apportions blame,” per the Procurator Fiscal, which leads prosecutions and investigations on behalf of the Crown in Scotland.

Andy Shanks, who leads the Procurator Fiscal’s investigation into fatalities, said the circumstances surrounding Shéa’s death caused “significant public concern,” the BBC reported.

“Shéa Ryan’s tragic death has been a catastrophic loss for his family. They have my deepest sympathy as they continue to deal with the pain they have suffered,” he added.

In 2023, RJM was fined approximately $1.2 million for failing to properly secure the site, according to the BBC.