A British teenager has died and her two siblings were left seriously injured during a family holiday to the Dominican Republic.
Abbie Lainton, 16, died following an accident while she was on vacation on the Caribbean island with her family during the summer holidays.
The teen, from Swindon, was looking forward to the next chapter in her life and was expecting her GCSE results when the tragedy struck.
Her younger brother and sister were also involved in the same accident, and suffered serious injuries.
Tributes have poured in for the teenager, who was an avid cheerleader.
Becky Jamieson, a family friend who set up a GoFundMe fundraiser for the family, said that the accident happened on July 30, causing the parents to lose ‘their beautiful 16-year-old daughter.’
She said: ‘Abbie had her whole life ahead of her. She should have been enjoying the summer with her friends and looking forward to receiving her GCSE results. She was so loved by her family, friends and everyone who knew her.
‘This page has been set up to support the family through this unimaginable time.
‘For Abbie. Forever 16, forever loved and never forgotten.’
The fundraiser reached over £8,000 of its £10,000 target within hours of launching.
Swindon Lightning Cheerleading club, which Abbie was part of and competed with, was left ‘heartbroken’ after the news.
A spokesperson told The Sun: ‘There are simply no words that feel enough.
‘Abbie was a much-loved member of our Swindon Lightning family.
‘Her kindness, infectious smile, unwavering encouragement and love for cheerleading touched the lives of so many athletes, coaches and families over the years.
‘She brought so much light to our gym, and her loss has left us all heartbroken.’
Abbie’s former school, Tandwood School of Performing Arts, said in a statement: ‘Abbie joined Tanwood as a dinky dot and was part of an exceptional group of dancers who formed strong friendships which spilled over to the audience when they performed together.’
The school said she ‘always performed with a huge smile’ and Abbie will ‘always be in our hearts.’
Metro has approached the Foreign Office for a comment.
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