IPOH, Dec 24 — A child was found dead, believed to have drowned while playing with friends at the Parit 4 canal in Parit, yesterday.
Perak Tengah District Police chief Supt Hafezul Helmi Hamzah said the incident involving the seven-year-old victim was reported by a member of the public at around 5.45pm.
“The victim was found about 30 metres from the canal’s edge and was brought by local residents to the Bota Kiri Health Clinic (Parit). A medical assistant confirmed that the victim had died.
“The body was taken to Seri Iskandar Hospital, and at about 9.30 am today, a post-mortem by a medical officer determined the cause of death as ‘pulmonary oedema consistent with drowning’,” he said in a statement today.
He urged parents to closely monitor their children’s activities and prevent them from swimming in rivers and canals, as the currents were particularly strong during the north-east monsoon season, expected to last until the end of March next year. — Bernama