Drowning of a Toddler in a Plastic Water Basin at Home; Warning to Parents

A toddler in Sharjah died after falling face-first into a plastic basin containing a small amount of water at home; an incident that once again warns about the danger of children drowning in ordinary household items.

The child's mother was busy preparing food in the kitchen while also keeping an eye on her children. The entrance door of the apartment was closed and locked, and there were no pools or other hazardous water sources in the house.

However, when the family's son's cartoon was paused for about five minutes, the mother realized her daughter was no longer around. She first searched the rooms of the house and asked the housekeeper about her daughter, but there was no sign of her.

The mother eventually entered the bathroom connected to the living room and found her daughter with her face in a plastic basin. This basin was used for hand-washing the children's clothes and had less than a quarter of water.

The mother immediately pulled the child out, attempted to help, and called emergency services. The girl was taken to the hospital, but the doctors could not revive her, and her death was confirmed.

Drowning in children is not always accompanied by noise. Experts warn that contrary to common belief, a child may not scream or be able to wave for help while drowning. Young children may even be unable to lift their heads out of the water; for this reason, this incident can occur without attracting the attention of adults.

Experts recommend that parents and caregivers immediately empty buckets, basins, bathtubs, and other containers holding water after use and keep the bathroom door closed. Installing a child safety lock can also prevent unsupervised access by children to this area.
Source: Gulf News