Tragic loss: Family speaks after girl, 6, drowns in apartment swimming pool
Buxton Point apartments’ swimming pool in Mombasa where a six-year-old girl drowned.
What you need to know:
- According to the police report, Ummulkheir was at the swimming pool with her eighteen-year-old sister, who reported the incident to the swimming pool attendant for assistance.
- Buxton Point CEO Chris Ochieng termed the incident unfortunate and said they will continue to put more measures such as installing CCTV cameras and having more standby divers to avert such future incidents.
Following the shocking drowning of their six-year-old girl family in Mombasa is now calling for preventative measures to be put in place at the Buxton Point apartments’ swimming pool to avert similar incidents in the future.
Nevertheless, Ahmed Hassan, the deceased's uncle, said the law should be followed conclusively in investigating the circumstances that led to the death of their child, Ummulkheir Yussuf.
“We are saddened by the situation since we felt there was some negligence from the facility owner.
"Despite paying Sh400 to use the swimming pool, there were no adequate safety measures to safeguard children,” said Mr Hassan.
He added, “We want this to end, that is why we want the estate manager to put all measures to safeguard everyone going there to swim.”
According to the police report, Ummulkheir was at the swimming pool with her eighteen-year-old sister, who reported the incident to the swimming pool attendant for assistance.
“The juvenile was retrieved, resuscitated and rushed to the Mombasa Hospital but succumbed,” the police report stated in their statement.
Ms Jamila Duba, chairperson of Mvita estate said the incident was reported at 5pm on Sunday after the girl moved to an adult swimming pool.
“We could have saved the girl only if people were watching what was happening in the swimming pool. Although we have received condolences from Buxton Point management, we want them to put more measures to ensure no such incident is reported in the future,” said Ms Duba.
Buxton Point CEO Chris Ochieng termed the incident unfortunate and said they will continue to put more measures such as installing CCTV cameras and having more standby divers to avert such future incidents.
“The management tried to rescue the girl but she was pronounced dead upon arriving at the hospital. We shall take more measures in the future to protect hundreds of those who use the swimming pool,” said Mr Ochieng.
Speaking while condoling the family, Mombasa County Assembly speaker Aharub Khatri said the county will initiate a process to ensure all swimming pools adhere to required safety measures.
“We shall begin inspection of all swimming pools in the county to ensure they have all safety regulations including having standby divers in case of any eventuality. This we shall initiate immediately after the mourning period ends and the investigation is completed,” said Mr Khatri.
According to a postmortem report, the girl drowned and there were no physical injuries on her body.
