The year 2025 has left a profound and painful mark on the community of Sutton Coldfield, as twelve families were plunged into unimaginable grief following a series of tragic deaths. From sudden accidents and road crashes to mysterious incidents that remain unexplained, the town has endured a heartbreaking twelve months.
A series of tragic losses
The year's tragedies began in February with the disappearance of Luis Piovesana, 26, a popular former barman. He vanished during a night out in Bristol, and his body was later discovered in the River Frome on March 3. His family remembered him as a 'gift to everyone in his life'.
In March, the community was further shaken when the body of Guled Hussein, 28, from Birmingham, was found in a field off Lichfield Road. Police initially treated his death as unexplained but later confirmed it was not suspicious. An inquest is scheduled for April 30, 2026.
April brought horror to a local golf course. Suzanne Cherry, 62, a mother-of-three from Aldridge, was struck and killed by a van being pursued by police at Aston Manor Golf Club. Three men – Brett Delaney, John McDonald, and Johnny McDonald – have pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and are set to stand trial at Worcester Crown Court on January 12.
Summer of sorrow in Sutton
The summer months saw further loss. On July 10, schoolboy Daniel Drewitt, 16, drowned in Powell's Pool in Sutton Park. His family paid tribute to a 'handsome, funny and talented boy'. Tragically, just a day later, a woman in her 40s died on the railway track between Wylde Green and Sutton Coldfield stations.
August proved to be a particularly devastating month. On August 16, a man in his late 70s was killed after being hit by a car on Thornhill Road in Streetly. A 21-year-old man was arrested and released on bail. Then, on August 22, Natasha Thorp, 21, was fatally struck by a car in Brassington Avenue in the town centre, prompting an enormous outpouring of grief. Two men were initially arrested, with one bailed pending further investigation.
The same road witnessed another tragedy less than two weeks later. Theo Ganderton, 17, died after his motorbike collided with a car on Thornhill Road on August 29, just days after his birthday. Hundreds of bikers attended his funeral in September.
Mysteries and sudden passings
One of the year's most mysterious incidents occurred on August 27, when a man's body was discovered at The Laurels assisted living accommodation in Mere Green. Months later, police have yet to publicly identify the deceased.
The heartbreak extended beyond the town's borders. In September, Kasey-Lei Greene, 13, from a Sutton Coldfield family living in Abu Dhabi, collapsed and died at a cinema from a suspected cardiac arrest.
Also in September, popular local golfer and past captain of Moor Hall Golf Club, John Bardsley, 62, collapsed and died while playing in a tournament in Kent on September 17.
The year's known tragedies concluded in November, when a man was found dead in Sutton Park near Streetly Gate on November 23. West Midlands Police confirmed his death was not being treated as suspicious.
As the year draws to a close, the Sutton Coldfield community continues to mourn these profound losses. The series of events has left an indelible mark, with several cases still under investigation or awaiting inquest, leaving families and friends searching for answers and solace.
