One-year-old drowns at Florida Lake as police investigate incident

A Sunday afternoon at Florida Lake in Johannesburg ended in tragedy after a one-year-old child drowned near the Florida Lake Canoe Club, prompting a police inquest and renewed attention to the dangers of young children being near open water.

The incident reportedly took place on 18 October, as canoe club members were finishing their regular training session. Club members noticed a commotion at the water’s edge and discovered that the child had been pulled from the lake. Attempts were made to save the toddler, but the child could not be revived.

Johannesburg Water Police media liaison officer Raymond Sambo confirmed that officers arrived after club members had already removed the child from the water and attempted CPR.

‘Paramedics were called to the scene to resuscitate the child, but without any success.’

– Raymond Sambo, Johannesburg Water Police media liaison officer Raymond Sambo

The child’s body was handed over to Florida police, who opened an inquest to establish the circumstances surrounding the drowning.

Canoe club expresses condolences

The Florida Lake Canoe Club has expressed its deep sorrow over the child’s death, extending its sympathy to the family. In a statement, the club said it has offered free canoeing lessons for safe swimmers for the past 30 years and provides life jackets during its training activities.

The club also highlighted its rules regarding children who accompany family members to the lake but do not participate in lessons.

‘Any family members with young children who are at our lake watching learners are responsible for any of their children.’

– The Florida Lake Canoe Club.

The club added that children who are not taking part in canoe lessons are not permitted to enter the water and must not be left unattended. Club spokesperson Jennie Dallas said members were coming off the water when they noticed activity on the far side of the grounds.

‘We don’t know yet how the child ended up in the water.’

– Jennie Dallas, The Florida Lake Canoe Club spokesperson.

She added that the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the events leading up to the drowning, would likely form part of the police investigation. The club also extended its condolences to the child’s parents and family.

Police inquest opened

Johannesburg police district communications co-ordinator Lieutenant Colonel Mpho Tshetlane confirmed that an inquest had been opened. ‘The circumstances surrounding the incident are still being investigated, and no arrests have been made,’ she said.

An inquest is intended to establish the circumstances surrounding a death and determine whether further action may be necessary. The investigation has not yet established how the child entered the water. A family member reportedly indicated that the child’s mother was not ready to comment.

Warning to parents near open water

Sambo urged parents and caregivers to teach children about the dangers of open water and ensure that young children are supervised at all times. For toddlers, even a brief lapse in supervision near a lake can have devastating consequences. Water safety measures at recreational venues are important, but they do not replace the need for close adult supervision.

The investigation into the Florida Lake drowning remains ongoing as police work to establish exactly what happened. The family has not publicly commented on the loss, and the circumstances leading to the child’s death have yet to be determined.

Be the first to know – Join our WhatsApp Channel for content worth tapping into! Click here to join! 

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com

Featured Image: Apertur 2.8 / Pexels