Cebu City drowning: 4-year-old tragically dies in Inayawan river

This is where the boy fell and drowned on Sunday, June 30, in Sitio Tal-ot, Barangay Inayawan, Cebu City. | Paul Lauro

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A 4-year-old boy died when he drowned in a river at Sitio Tal-ot, Barangay Inayawan in Cebu City on Sunday, June 30, 2024, around 1 p.m.

According to Police Corporal Jaymos Tordias of Inayawan Police Station, the boy was playing near the river and accidentally fell in.

The boy was believed to have fallen about 12 feet from the side of the makeshift steel bridge that connects one side of the river to the other side.

The bridge was just a few meters away from the house of the boy.

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The 19-year-old mother of the boy was reportedly busy caring for his two siblings and did not notice when he left their house.

“According to the mother, nalipat lang ni siya kay tulo ni kabuok iyang anak,” Tordias said.

(According to the mother, she did not notice [the boy leaving the house] because she has three children to take care of.)

The neighbors saw the victim already floating in the river.

They immediately brought the victim to the Cebu City Medical Center, but he was pronounced dead upon arrival by the attending doctor.

“Nakit-an lang kuno nila didto nga naglutaw na, posibleng natagak ni sa sapa kay duol ra man sa sapa ilang balay,” he added.

(They saw the kid floating on the river, it was possible that he fell into the river because their house is just near the river.)

The boy’s house is just about 10 meters away from the river’s edge or the cement wall separating the houses and the river.

Tordias added that there’s no suspicion of foul play in the incident.

Currently, the police are conducting further investigation in the incident. | With Paul Lauro