A one-and-a-half-year-old child drowned in the Kineti River of Torit town, Eastern Equatoria State, on Thursday, local officials said.
According to local authorities, the child who was left alone at home decided to follow her parents to the riverside but ended up drowning in the river.
Every year, the Civil Defense Department registers several incidences of people drowning in the Kineti River.
Lomira Dominic, Secretary to the Chief of the Adisababa residential area, told Radio Tamazuj that the body of the deceased child was discovered at 6 pm, one hour after drowning.
He attributed the incident to the parent’s negligence, saying they didn’t monitor their child’s movement.
“Her father and mother were not around and this child thought maybe her parents were at their usual sitting place. Because there were no people around, she jumped into the river and drowned. This incident happened on Thursday between 4:00 pm and 5:00 pm, but the body was discovered at 6:00 pm,” he explained.
Major Peter Lomong Lohisa, Deputy Director for Eastern Equatoria State Civil Defense, confirmed the incident and warned parents against taking children near water points.
“On Thursday, a child went after her father, who had gone to lay bricks near the river. As the father was laying bricks, this child saw her age mates playing in the river and decided to join them. She fell in the river and drowned,” he explained.
He said plans are underway to deploy civil defense forces along River Kineti ahead of the rainy season to save lives and protect civilians from the challenges of crossing the river.
Elizabeth Ihari, Eastern Equatoria State women activist, expressed shock over the incident and blamed the parents for allowing their young ones to play at water points.
She urged mothers to protect and educate their children about the dangers of accessing flowing water points.
“Such an incident is extremely bad. I am talking to the mother of this young child. These young children are innocent. It is you, the grown-ups, who should monitor and advise them,” she said.