Kayden Walker could not swim more than 33 feet unaided, meaning he had only basic confidence in the water. During the activity, he was separated from his board and became trapped on the upstream side of a weir. Safety failures emerged as a Fatal Accident Inquiry at Falkirk Sheriff Court heard evidence from Angela Molloy, a former project manager for the Church House Community Group. She stated that participants did not have to be able to swim to do the river boarding activity, only comfortable in the water. Molloy also said she did not see warning signs in the area about deep water and strong currents while driving the group to the river. Outdoor Pursuits Scotland Ltd admitted a breach of health and safety legislation over Kayden Walker's death in 2024 at Perth Sheriff Court and was fined £10,000.
The Fatal Accident Inquiry is also looking into the death of Ruaridh Stevenson, 39, from Cupar, Fife, who drowned after trying to help a client in the water. In a separate case, it is very likely that Noah Donohoe drowned on the day he disappeared in a storm drain where his body was later discovered. Noah Donohoe likely climbed into the culvert entrance through vertical metal screen bars, and the culvert layout is relatively complex, which could disorient an unfamiliar person moving in semi-darkness.
Infrastructure safety concerns have arisen, with a Police Service of Northern Ireland expert adviser noting that further inquiries need to be made about how and why the Department for Infrastructure discounted the need for a security screen when they designed the 2017 refurbishment of the Premier Drive stream structure. The adviser also stated that the pre-refurbishment risk assessment seemed to focus on the risk to Rivers Agency staff and not to members of the public. Church House Community Group has since improved its risk assessments but still allows non-swimmers to attend water sports events if the company they work with deems it appropriate.