Toddler drowns in pail of water

A 1-year-old girl accidentally  drowned in a pail of water in the  bathroom of a relative’s house in barangay Tuyon, Carcar City, southern Cebu.

Jamaica Ombog was rushed to the hospital after she was found submerged  head-first in a blue bucket   last Sunday afternoon.

She was left in the care of her aunt and grandfather  that day while her mother went out on an errand.

Jesus, the grandfather, told police he was watching TV and didn’t notice the child was no longer playing in the living room.

At about 6 p.m., they both noticed the child wasn’t in their sight.

Jesus said he was shocked  to find the little girl  submerged in a half-full pail  of water in the bathroom. Apparently she got  stuck in the  bucket.

The grandfather  immediately pulled her out.  With the help of neighbors, they tried to revive the child with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation but it was too late. She was declared dead by attending physicians at the Carcar District Hospital.

Police said they found no  signs of foul play in the toddler’s  death.

Her mother had stepped out to look for herbal plants for her stomachache. The girl’s grandmother, who accompanied her, said she heard the little girl shout while they were still in the house. Thinking the child was just playing, the grandmother said they  ignored the noise and went out.

Jamaica was laid to rest yesterday./CORRESPONDENTS GABRIEL C. BONJOCAND RHEA RUTH V. ROSELL