A NINE-YEAR-OLD grade four pupil was believed to have drowned in a river in Binaliw, an upland barangay in Cebu City.
The body of Jiecel Codeniera was found in a shallow part of the river last Thursday afternoon. The girl was brought to the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) where she was declared dead.
Police said the girl and a classmate decided to take a dip in the river during their lunch break.
A few minutes later, Jane Oybenes told Jiecel it was time to go back to their school as their teacher might start looking for them.
Jane said she left ahead of Jiecel.
Jane and another classmate went back to the river to look for Jiecel but they could not find her.
The two pupils later learned that their classmate was found floating unconscious by Jose Baguio, a 60-year-old farmer.
Baguio said Jiecel was no longer moving when he found her.
SPO2 Rommel Bancog, homicide investigator of the Cebu City Police Office, said the girl’s parents requested that the body be examined to determine the cause of death.