Cape Town - Tragedy struck on Friday in Kenwyn when a toddler and the family’s domestic worker both drowned in the family swimming pool.
Although the details remained unclear publication time on Friday night, a 15-year-old relative found the bodies of the two floating in the pool when he arrived home from school.
The domestic, who had worked for the family for more than 15 years, reportedly had the child in her arms, as if she was trying to save him.
The family of the 2-year-old boy were too distraught to speak to the media on Friday, but they confirmed the incident, which they described as a terrible accident.
They said their 57-year-old domestic worker had been like family to them.
Diedre Golding, cousin of the toddler’s mother, said her cousin was distraught and shaken.
“I don’t think she is in the right frame of mind to speak right now, but we can confirm that the accident did happen. It was an accident; she (the domestic worker) loved the children, she raised them and she was even there when he (the toddler) was born,” said Golding.
Police spokesman Colonel Tembinkosi Kinana said an inquest docket had been opened. He said that a teenage boy had found the two bodies in the pool.
“The 15-year-old boy came home from school at about 2.30pm (on Friday) and found the two floating bodies.
“He immediately alerted neighbours and requested assistance,” he said.
Kinana added that the domestic worker died on the scene while the boy died on the way to hospital.
Weekend Argus