ILOILO — A tragic incident struck Barangay Botongon, Estancia, Iloilo on Sunday morning, November 23, when a five-year-old girl drowned in a well in Purok 5.
The incident occurred around 8 a.m. while the child was bathing with her two older brothers, aged seven and eight.
Police Captain Ruperto Vargas Jr., investigator of the Estancia Municipal Police Station, said the girl’s mother, identified only as Jelyn, 28, had allowed her daughter to bathe in a well that lacked a concrete pipe cover locally known as “tamburong” and had a diameter of about one foot. The well, used by residents for water supply, is located approximately 8 to 10 meters from the child’s home.
While bathing, the girl reportedly tipped over, possibly due to being overwhelmed by the weight of a pail of water, and fell into the deep well. Her older brothers attempted to warn her, but she did not heed their caution.
In a panic, the siblings ran to alert their mother. Jelyn rushed to the well and jumped in, trying to rescue her daughter. Residents quickly joined the effort, but the murky and deep water made the rescue difficult.
After approximately 15 to 20 minutes, the child’s body was retrieved. Immediate attempts to revive her using cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) were unsuccessful. She was transported to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival at around 8:45 a.m. by the attending physician.
Capt. Vargas said the mother reported the incident to authorities around 5 p.m., explaining that her focus had been on trying to save her daughter, which delayed her call to the police. The child’s father, a fisherman, was not home at the time as he was out at sea.
This is the first recorded drowning in that well, according to Capt. Vargas. The child’s body is now at Crisme Funeral Homes.
In response to the tragedy, the Estancia police are urging barangay officials to secure wells in the area to prevent future accidents. They recommend closing wells entirely if securing them is not feasible to ensure the safety of children. The Estancia MPS is currently investigating the incident and plans to close the well./PN
