9-year-old drowns in river near school

CEBU, Philippines - A 9-year-old girl was found dead after drowning in a river near their school in Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City where she went swimming during their lunch break Thursday afternoon.

Jiecel Codeniera, a grade four student of Binaliw Elementary School, was found floating in the river by a farmer, Jose “Otik Baguio, 60, who was then transferring his cow to another place.

Senior Police Officer 2 Rommel Bancog, investigator in the Homicide Section of the Cebu City Police Office, said based on their interview with Codeniera’s classmate, the victim and her classmate went to the river, which is 500 meters away from the school, for a swim after eating their lunch.

After a few minutes, Bancog said the classmate allegedly told Codeniera for them to go back to school since their teacher might be looking for them. However, the victim allegedly refused to go with her classmate so the latter left the victim behind and went back to school.

Bancog said the farmer later saw the floating body of Codeniera at the waist-deep portion of the river.

When he noticed that the body was not moving, Baguio immediately informed his neighbor, Nolasco Diano, and then informed the barangay tanods.

Codeniera’s clothes, which she took off before swimming, were found around a hundred meters away from her body while her slippers was found 10 meters away from her.

Bancog said the victim was still wearing her underwear.

Nolasco then retrieved Codeniera’s body from the river and the victim was immediately brought to the Cebu City Medical Center. However, she was pronounced dead on arrival.

Bancog said they are still digging deeper on the case since the minor sustained an injury in the head. He said they suggested to the parents of the victim to have Codeniera’s body submitted for autopsy.

“Di pa gyud ko kaingon kung unsa’y rason ato. Nagpadayon pa gyud mi sa among investigation,” said Bancog. — Ma. Fatima R. Secuya/ATO (FREEMAN)