MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Following the death of three toddlers in the Mossel Bay area due to drowning, the South Africa Police Services have urged the public to be more mindful of safety, especially in and around the house.
According to information released by the police, statistics show that most children aged five and younger drown in or close to their homes.
Bathtubs, buckets, basins and showers claim the lives of about 100 children annually. Since 1990, 20 children have drowned in toilets. More than 275 children have drowned in 201 buckets since the 1980s. Nappy buckets also pose a threat at homes where toddlers are active.
It takes less than a few minutes for a small child to drown while your attention is distracted. Recent drownings in Slangrivier, George and Karatara show that a few minutes of distracted attention can result in a toddler drowning. In two recent incidents, children drowned in buckets and the drowning at Karatara was in an animal's drinking trough.
Infants who start walking are curious about any object and a bucket of water and playing with the water is a major attraction. If an infant fall ins, its body weight cannot tip the bucket over, therefore there is a drowning or near drowning.
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