The body of a four-year-old East London boy was found at the bottom of a swimming pool in a neighbouring property soon after a search had been launched when he went missing from his parents home.
The incident took place in Southernwood on Saturday afternoon.
It was later established that Lelami “Fortune” Mugoda had wandered into the neighbouring property in Conrad’s Avenue after a gate to the premises was left unlocked.
His distraught mother Ntombi Ndika, 34, pulled him from the two-metre deep pool and tried desperately to keep him alive by performing CPR.
An ambulance later arrived and declared Lelami dead.
Police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala said an inquest docket had been opened.
The neighbouring property’s caretaker Dumisani Mabena said the incident occurred just after 4pm when he unlocked the gate to allow a technician into the property.
“There is a man who arrived here to say he is working on a faulty powerline. He wanted to access the pole in the yard with a box on it. I let him in and I went back into the house,” said Mabena, adding that the gate was left unlocked, but closed.
Lelami, who was said to be playing in the street with another friend, reportedly entered the property.
Mabena later heard a splash sound but did not make anything of it.
Back in the Mugoda home across the street, Ndika became concerned when she did not see her son outside. His aunt, Lydia Mugala, told the Daily Dispatch the young mother had gone out to look for him.
“Her son’s friend then told her about Lelami entering the other home so she went to see if he is there,” Mugala said.
She alerted Mabena and the three of them launched a search for the boy on the premises.
However, after turning up empty-handed they started searching the surrounding area.
“But Ntombi went back to the caretaker and asked to search the premises again,” said Mugala.
Mabena said he took the pool net and started searching in the water.
“That’s when I saw the boy. We tried everything to save him but unfortunately it was too late.”
Ndika was yesterday busy with funeral arrangements when the Dispatch visited the family home.
The boy’s heartbroken father Ben Mugoda, 33, said he was in Frere Hospital waiting for surgery at the time his son drowned.
“I last saw him on Friday evening when he visited with his mother. He came here and played with the phone and told me what he had eaten,” an emotional Mugoda said.
Lelami was described by his aunt as “lovely, bubbly and full of life”.
“He was very energetic and loved sharing food with his friends,” said Mugala. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
Boy drowns in pool after access gate left unlocked
The incident took place in Southernwood on Saturday afternoon.
It was later established that Lelami “Fortune” Mugoda had wandered into the neighbouring property in Conrad’s Avenue after a gate to the premises was left unlocked.
His distraught mother Ntombi Ndika, 34, pulled him from the two-metre deep pool and tried desperately to keep him alive by performing CPR.
An ambulance later arrived and declared Lelami dead.
Police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Hazel Mqala said an inquest docket had been opened.
The neighbouring property’s caretaker Dumisani Mabena said the incident occurred just after 4pm when he unlocked the gate to allow a technician into the property.
“There is a man who arrived here to say he is working on a faulty powerline. He wanted to access the pole in the yard with a box on it. I let him in and I went back into the house,” said Mabena, adding that the gate was left unlocked, but closed.
Lelami, who was said to be playing in the street with another friend, reportedly entered the property.
Mabena later heard a splash sound but did not make anything of it.
Back in the Mugoda home across the street, Ndika became concerned when she did not see her son outside. His aunt, Lydia Mugala, told the Daily Dispatch the young mother had gone out to look for him.
“Her son’s friend then told her about Lelami entering the other home so she went to see if he is there,” Mugala said.
She alerted Mabena and the three of them launched a search for the boy on the premises.
However, after turning up empty-handed they started searching the surrounding area.
“But Ntombi went back to the caretaker and asked to search the premises again,” said Mugala.
Mabena said he took the pool net and started searching in the water.
“That’s when I saw the boy. We tried everything to save him but unfortunately it was too late.”
Ndika was yesterday busy with funeral arrangements when the Dispatch visited the family home.
The boy’s heartbroken father Ben Mugoda, 33, said he was in Frere Hospital waiting for surgery at the time his son drowned.
“I last saw him on Friday evening when he visited with his mother. He came here and played with the phone and told me what he had eaten,” an emotional Mugoda said.
Lelami was described by his aunt as “lovely, bubbly and full of life”.
“He was very energetic and loved sharing food with his friends,” said Mugala. — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
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