Mandaue City drowning: 11-year-old girl found floating in river

This was the river in Barangay Basak, Mandaue City where the body of an 11-yer-old girl was found floating. | photo courtesy of Mandaue City Police Office.

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – An 11-year-old girl was found dead, floating in a river in Sitio Kanipaan, Barangay Basak, Mandaue City on Tuesday morning, June 10.

According to the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), they received information about the incident at around 7 a.m. and immediately responded.

MCPO spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mercy Villaro said a worker walking along the road beside the river was the first to see the girl’s body, which was face down in the water. The worker then called for help from nearby residents.

Villaro said investigators are still looking into the incident and are interviewing residents to determine if anyone witnessed what happened. She added that they are recommending an autopsy to help determine the exact cause of death.

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Authorities are also considering the girl’s medical condition, as she was reportedly experiencing seizures.

“Tanan nga information especially sa direct relative Mama ug Papa kung unsa nga information nga ilang ipanghatag diri sa atoa sa PNP, atoa itake into consideration ang tanan,” said Villaro.

The victim of the Mandaue City drowning was identified as Erica Cabatingan, a resident of neighboring sitio Orchid, also in Barangay Basak.

The victim’s mother, Ruby Rose Cabatingan said Erica had gone with her grandmother on Monday morning, June 9, to help sell recyclable garbage but did not return home.

Cabatingan shared that she had gone to her younger child’s school that morning to enroll her in kindergarten. The family had also planned to enroll Erica in Grade 5 this Tuesday.

She said they searched for Erica throughout Monday. The next morning at around 6 a.m. her body was found floating in the river by a neighbor.

Cabatingan believes her daughter may have suffered a seizure and accidentally fallen into the river on her way home.

She said the victim of the Mandaue City drowning began having seizures in December. During previous episodes, family members would hold and comfort her until she recovered. After incidents at school and at home, they had advised her not to go out frequently. She did not reveal her daughter’s medical condition.

“Mao siguro na iya’ng nakuan [hinungdan] kay dinha [river area] iya man nang mga suki, mga tarong man sad ang mga tawo dinha. Wala koy gidudahan,” said Cabatingan.