Five-year-old boy drowns in homestay’s swimming pool

SABAK BERNAM - A five-year-old boy is believed to have drowned in a recreational swimming pool of a homestay at Jalan Sungai Panjang, here, on Tuesday.

Sabak Bernam district deputy police chief Deputy Superintendent Khalid Mohamad said that the incident which took place at about 5.05pm was noticed by the boy’s 36-year-old father.

He said at the time of the incident, the victim's father was watching over the fourth of the five siblings before he heard a scream from his 12-year-old eldest son who saw his sister unconscious in the adult pool.

"The man then got his son out of the pool and tried to give CPR, but the victim was unconscious.

"The victim was then taken to the Merbau Berdarah Health Clinic, located about three kilometres from the scene of the incident before being pronounced dead by the assistant medical officer upon arrival at the clinic at approximately 6.25pm.

"The victim's body was taken to Sabak Bernam Hospital and will be transferred to Sungai Buloh Hospital for the post-mortem process,” he said.

Khalid said that the police's initial investigation found that the victim went to the recreational pool with his father and three other siblings aged 9, 11 and 12.

"During the incident, the victim's mother was at home with their youngest child.

"The family did not stay at the homestay but instead only went for a swim in the recreational swimming pool which is open to outsiders," he said.

He said further investigation was conducted in accordance with Section 31(1)(a) of the Children's Act 2001 due to negligence leading to the death of the victim.