Family in mourning after Mia Harrison, 4, drowns at Orange Aquatic Centre

A FOUR-year-old girl who could not swim drowned “in a matter of seconds” despite being with a large group of family and friends in a crowded public pool, her distraught mother said.

A FOUR-year-old girl who could not swim drowned “in a matter of seconds” despite being with a large group of family and friends in a crowded public pool, her distraught mother said.

Mia Harrison was found motionless in a pool at the Orange Aquatic Centre on Saturday afternoon and could not be revived.

“We don’t know exactly what happened, that is the horror of it,” her mother Mekaela­ Harrison said last night, describing it simply as a “terrible accident”.

Mia Harrison, 4, drowned at Orange Aquatic Centre on the weekend. Picture: Facebook.

Ms Harrison said Mia was not able to swim yet “so please, if anything can come out of this tragedy, please, parents, teach your children to swim as soon as possible”.

Family members and pool lifeguards tried to revive Mia but she was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

Police are examining CCTV footage, while friends said Ms Harrison — who had been holding a friend’s baby in the children’s pool — was “beating herself up” over her daughter’s death.

“I’m aware a lot of people have said the lifeguards are to blame but that is not the case at all, I can’t thank them enough,” Ms Harrison said. “It was not their fault. They are not babysitters. It was a dreadful accident. They probably feel as terrible as I do.”

She said everyone was watching the children but her daughter was not yet able to swim. “Accidents happen. Nobody is to blame. I would not wish any other parent to go through this, it’s impossible­ to understand how horrific it is.

Police are examining CCTV from Orange Aquatic Centre, where Mia drowned, to establish how the tragedy took place.

“It was very crowded with lots of children and adults around.”

Ms Harrison said her daughter had started some swimming lessons but did not like putting her head under the water. “It might have given her a fighting chance,” she said. “I don’t know for sure if it could have made a difference, she might have slipped or been knocked over.”

Mia, who would have turned five in January, had recently attended kindergarten orientation at her local primary school. “She was very excited to be going to school,” Ms Harrison said. “She was my baby girl, my first born and she had a heart of gold.

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“She would give me big cuddles and she was the sweetest darling­ in the world.

“If I can save one other child by telling parents not to take your eyes off them for one second, and teach them to swim as soon as you can, when they are babies — if I can stop this from happening for anyone else, that’s one tiny thing I can take from this.”

A family member yesterday took to social media to fend off criticism and ask for time for the family to grieve.

“This is devastating for all of us,” she wrote. “There were five adults and four children (and a) baby in the pool ... she was very looked after and the pool was overcrowded so please, before you judge the parents, think about how the parents are feeling right now.”

The family of Mia Harrison, 4, have asked for time for the family to grieve. Picture: Facebook.

Orange Mayor Reg Kidd yesterday visited the family.

“Nothing we can say today can ease the pain the family is going through, other than to say that they are not alone,” he said.

“The Aquatic Centre is a strong and supportive community ... everyone who has swum at the Orange pool can imagine­ the sadness and grief the family and our staff are feeling today.”

Council said it had closed the pool until further notice.