Two years after their 20-year-old daughter Holly Woodcock drowned in a swimming pool at a villa in western France, her parents are still seeking answers and appealing for a proper investigation into the circumstances of her death. Jo and Lee Woodcock have expressed deep distress over what they describe as inconsistencies in witness statements, the destruction of potential evidence, and what they perceive as a lack of thoroughness by French authorities.
Holly, a student at Manchester Metropolitan University, was on a week-long break at a friend's family villa in St Hilaire-la-Foret in July 2024, shortly after a trip to Ayia Napa. The villa was occupied by the friend's family, siblings, other friends, and Holly, totaling about ten people. On the evening of August 1, the family hosted neighbors for dinner, and later, the younger group of guests stayed up.
Photos show Holly dancing in the kitchen around midnight. Shortly before 1 a.m., the group decided to go for a swim. According to witness statements compiled by the Woodcocks' French lawyers, the memories of what happened next are hazy. A Snapchat message from Holly's friend asking for her whereabouts was sent at 1:25 a.m. Just five minutes later, at 1:30 a.m., Holly was found unresponsive in the pool by her friend's older brother. She was reportedly wearing a swimsuit, with her shorts neatly folded beside the pool.
While a doctor present at the villa immediately began resuscitation efforts, emergency services were not called until 1:44 a.m. The Woodcocks question this 14-minute delay and Holly's apparent isolation long enough to drown. They note that contradictions exist in witness accounts, with some individuals unable to recall their actions, while others suggest Holly was with others until moments before entering the water. Given the villa's layout, they believe the events should have been visible or audible to those present.
Further questions have arisen for the grieving parents. They question how Holly, described as sober enough to fold her shorts, could have been involved in an alcohol-related accident, as French police initially suggested. An attending emergency doctor reportedly noted a nosebleed, a detail the Woodcocks believe warrants further investigation into its potential connection to her drowning. Two older adults at the villa did not provide witness statements.
The Woodcocks learned of their daughter's death through missed calls and a message about an accident. They describe the subsequent journey to France as surreal, struggling to comprehend their daughter's death. Initially, they were told by the Foreign Office and French police that the investigation was professional, but Jo Woodcock found the police questioning focused heavily on Holly's drinking habits.
Toxicology results, received nearly two months after Holly's death, indicated alcohol in her blood, but the presence of lung water complicated precise measurement. The coroner's report stated drowning as the most likely cause but did not rule out a traumatic cause. Crucially, tissue samples, including a gynaecological sample, and Holly's swimming costume, which might have provided further clarity, were destroyed by French police due to a failure to properly read a request for a second examination.
The couple's experience with British consular services in France was described as unhelpful, with links to booking websites and legal firms provided instead of direct support. Retrieving Holly's personal belongings, including jewelry, also proved distressing, with initial difficulties locating the items and an attempt to show Jo a photograph of her daughter's body to confirm ownership.
Holly's body was cremated in France at the parents' request, a decision they now regret as it prevents a second inquest. The French prosecutor closed the case in February 2025, stating they were too busy to provide updates. In response, the Woodcocks have launched a campaign, including a letter to Sir Keir Starmer, to urge French authorities to reopen the investigation and re-examine witness statements.
Jo Woodcock was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer nine months after Holly's death, a condition she attributes to the grief and trauma. While undergoing treatment, she found that medical appointments offered a strange distraction. Her cancer is now in remission, and her hair is growing back. Lee Woodcock has returned to work as a construction project manager.
Despite life moving forward in some aspects, the Woodcocks remain deeply affected, haunted by images of the night Holly died and questioning what truly happened in the swimming pool. They are determined to uncover the truth.