Neighbours resuscitate toddler found floating in a pool in Durban

Paramedics work to stabilise a toddler who was resuscitated after she was found floating in a pool.

A two-year-old child was resuscitated after she was found floating in a pool at her home in the Avoca area of Durban North. Picture: Reaction Unit South Africa(Rusa)

Published Aug 20, 2023

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Durban – A two-year-old toddler was found floating in a pool at her home in the Avoca area of Durban North on Sunday.

Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) spokesperson Prem Balram said the mother of the child found her floating in the pool on Sunday.

Balram said neighbours contacted Rusa for assistance at approximately 9.04am.

“Reaction Officers were immediately dispatched and on arrival discovered that the child had been successfully resuscitated by neighbours who commenced Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on the unresponsive child,” he said.

He said paramedics from Netcare 911 arrived shortly thereafter and further stabilised the toddler.

“She was placed on a ventilator,” said Balram.

Balram said the child was then airlifted to a hospital by a Netcare 911 specialised medical helicopter which landed near the scene.

A two-year-old child was resuscitated after she was found floating in a pool at her home in the Avoca area of Durban North. Picture: Reaction Unit South Africa(Rusa)

At the beginning of the year, IOL reported that the body of a missing 5-year-old boy was found in a neighbour's pool.

The report said Mvelo Gumede disappeared while playing in the yard at his home in Sun Crescent in Lotusville, Verulam the night before he was found. The boy lived with his mother in Ndwedwe and had been spending the holidays with his father.

During the search for the missing child, the report said Rusa members were informed by a resident that a child was found floating in his pool approximately 50 metres from their location.

According to the report the boy is believed to have entered the yard two doors away from his home through a damaged wire-mesh fence.

THE MERCURY

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