Mother of Alps ski death boy had 'stopped to tend to daughter'

The family of Carwyn Scott-Howell, seven, described him as a 'daring outgoing determined little boy' whose 'handsome smile lit up any room'
The devastated mother whose "little adventurer" son was killed in the French Alps lost sight of him as she stopped to tend to her daughter when she fell, police have disclosed.
Ceri Scott-Howell, 44, was enjoying the last run of the holiday with her two youngest children when Antonia, nine, toppled over and she stopped to help her.
But as she did so, her son Carwyn, seven, who was a competent skier, continued down the slope alone and ventured off piste.
Police believe he may have gone to explore the woodland as he enjoyed skiing through trees, but he became disorientated and plunged down a cliff to his death.
A preliminary investigation ruled out an earlier theory that Carwyn had asked his mother for permission to ski down the last run, a blue, gentle slope for intermediate skiers, on his own.
Police commander Michel Ollagnon said: "The statements from the family have established that they had been all together."
Mrs Scott-Howell, a former nurse, raised the alarm at around 4pm on Friday, when she got to the bottom of the slope and realised that Carwyn, whose hero was adventurer Bear Grylls, was not there.
Around two hours later, rescue workers discovered the child's footprints leading to a rocky outcrop to a cliff edge, where they found his abandoned skis.
It is believed he had panicked and was trying to orientate himself when he fell from the cliff.
His body was spotted by rescuers in a helicopter at the bottom of the cliff and was winched up at around 7.30pm.
The family had been staying in the popular resort of Flaine, 38 miles north-west of Chamonix. It was their last day on the slopes before they were due to return to their home in the Brecon Beacons, Wales.
Mrs Howell's husband Rhys, 52, Carwyn's father, was not skiing but it is not known whether he was on holiday with the family or had remained at home in the UK.
In a statement released through the Foreign Office, Carwyn's family described him as "daring outgoing determined little boy".
The statement he was "an adorable caring person who gave so much love" and whose "handsome smile lit up any room and made life full of laughter".
It said that Carwyn was a "very competent skier and snowboarder" who had started skiing at the age of three and spent several weeks each year skiing.
The statement explained how the family became separated on their last run of the day on Friday afternoon.
"The family were all enjoying their last ski run over the small jumps and bumps at the side of the slope together, when Carwyn's sister lost her ski on a jump and at this point Carwyn skied ahead," it said.
"The family cannot explain their feeling of utter devastation with a vast void in their hearts."
The family have a farm in the small village of Talybont-on-Usk in the Brecon Beacons, where Carwyn's parents Ceri and Rhys run Coity Bach Farm, an award-winning produce business, and they also rent holiday cottages.
The family is well known at food fairs and farmers markets across Wales and Carwyn would often "help out" on their stall.
Locals described him as "a little adventurer" who was "incredibly intrepid".
One friend told the South Wales Evening Post: "Carwyn loved exploring, that's what he spent all his time doing, he was a little adventurer.
"He was quite fearless really, he'd always be out in nature, clambering around getting muddy and wet.
"It's just such a tragedy, Carwyn was such a lovely little boy and he was really well known locally, the whole area is just in shock really."
The friend, who did not want to be named, added: "He idolised Bear Grylls and loved spending his time in the woods, playing and dreaming up stories.
"He'd grown-up in the mountains and was used to those kind of conditions which makes this awful accident all the more tragic."
Liam Fitzpatrick, an independent county councillor for the village, said the community was "in absolute shock".
"He was seven years old, it's horrendous. A tragic, tragic accident," he said. "We just can't comprehend it.
"It's a small village and everyone knows each other, especially his parents who are well-known because of their business.
"There will be massive support here for them when they come back. The community will be ready to assist in any way it possible can.
"It's impossible to know what they are going through at the moment."
Mr and Mrs Howell said online that they purchased the farm in 2000 to live out their dream of growing their own food and living "the good life".
The family was still be in France on Sunday as police continued their investigation into Carwyn's death.