Girl drowns in Navotas creek

A 13-year-old girl drowned while her younger cousin cheated death after both fell into a murky creek while playing tag in Caloocan City, police reported yesterday

Rosario ‘Rosie’ Saliling, an incoming first year high school student, and resident of 1045 Landaska, Torcillo Street, Dagat-dagatan, Caloocan, died even as efforts were made to revive her at the Tondo General Hospital.

Her cousin, Julie Ann Martinez, 12, was still alive and conscious as soon as she was taken out of the water.

Probers said the victims were playing by the side of a creek near their house at the boundary of Navotas and Caloocan, when they both slipped and fell into the murky waters around 2:15 p.m. Monday.

PO2 Joel Montebon said residents and bystanders raced to help the victim as both struggled to stay afloat. They got to Martinez first.

But Saliling was not as lucky as rescuers saw her disappear from view. All they could do was wait for her body to surface.

Witnesses said the victims were chasing each other by the side of the creek before the accident happened. – Jerry Botial