GONE IN A BLINK

Through her sobs, mother of four Basdaye Lall-Ragoo yesterday said she could not believe that despite the quick work of three doctors, who happened to be at the beach at the time Natalia’s limp body was pulled out of the water, she still did not survive. The girl, one half of a twin, was pronounced dead at the Pt Fortin Area Hospital.

“It was the police who came to the beach and carried us in a jeep to the Cedros Health Centre. There were no doctors there or anyone else who could have helped my child. We had to wait 45 minutes for an ambulance to arrive to take us to Point Fortin Hospital. By that time, ‘mama’ was gone,” Lall-Ragoo said.

Natalia was a pupil of a preschool in Bonasse Village, Cedros.

She lived with her mother, father Ancil Samuel and three brothers at Sylvester Street in Fullerton Village.

According to police reports, at about 5.30 pm on Sunday, Natalia and relatives where bathing at Columbus Bay when the girl disappeared under the water near the shoreline.

Minutes later, a man pulled Natalia out of the water.

“I just turned around for a few seconds and when I turned back and watched the water, my child was not there. I did not think about going into the water because I thought she had walked off further along the beach. I believe that as I spun around, mama may have stepped off a little, fell into the water and got water into her lungs,” Lall-Ragoo said. Frantically she raised an alarm and a beach goer pulled the child from the water. Despite her loss, Lall-Ragoo yesterday thanked the three doctors who were at the beach who quickly performed cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on the child. “She was still alive then. They really tried their best. It took 45 minutes for an ambulance to reach to take us to hospital,” Lall-Ragoo added.

“She was the only daughter I had.

Anywhere I go, she was with me.

She does not leave my side.

She is my only daughter and now she is gone,” the grief-stricken mother cried.

An autopsy will be performed today at the mortuary of the San Fernando General Hospital. Cpl Blackman of the Cedros Police Station is spearheading investigations.

Councillor for Cedros Shankar Teelucksingh yesterday called for the re-establishment of a district hospital in Cedros saying it takes almost an hour to reach the nearest health centre in Cedros. He believes Natalia may have survived if she had proper medical treatment. He also called for lifeguards to be placed at Columbus Bay which is a popular bathing spot especially during the school vacation.

Natalia is one of at least three children to drown within the past few weeks. On July 16, three-yearold Messi Gorkin of George Street, Port of Spain, drowned during a family outing at the Boardwalk in Chaguaramas.

Police reported that at about 5 pm, his father Atiba Gorkin was standing on the steps leading to the Boardwalk where he turned his back while speaking with friends.

Minutes later, Atiba realised Messi was nowhere to be seen and a frantic search ensued. Little Messi’s body was found floating in the waters off Pier I, the next day.

On July 26, seven-year-old Riberto Heeraman drowned at his home at Millennium Park, Trincity, after his right hand got stuck in the pump inside the pool.

Police said that Riberto and other siblings were bathing in one of two pools when they decided to take a break. Sometime later, a relative made the discovery.