Tullamore tragedy: School’s tribute to kindergarten boy who drowned in floodwater when his family’s car washed into a creek

A school community is mourning the tragic death of kindergarten student Jayden El Jer, trapped in his family’s car as it washed into a swollen creek.

A school community has paid tribute to a ‘bright and bubbly’ kindergarten student who drowned in floodwater when his family drove through a swollen creek on the way home from a trip to the zoo.

Jayden El Jer, 5, became trapped inside a Toyota Hilux and couldn’t be freed when the vehicle washed into deep water at Tullamore, near Parkes, on Friday night.

His heroic parents Joe El Jer and Pamela Hadchity managed to free their younger children Valentina, 3, and Bachir, 1, from the vehicle but despite their desperate efforts, little Jayden couldn’t be freed.

The distraught couple and their two children clung to trees for three hours in the cold and dark, until help arrived.

Principal at Christ the King Primary School in North Rocks Tony Hughes wrote to parents on Sunday night to inform them of the tragedy.

Jayden El Jer, 5, and his dad Joe El Jer. Picture: Facebook

“I am writing to share some very sad news with you. Over the weekend, one of our Kindergarten students Jayden lost his life in an accident caused by flooding in Central West New South Wales,” Mr Hughes wrote.

“Our entire community will be deeply affected by this tragic loss of our friend and classmate, Jayden. Jayden joined our caring community at the beginning of 2022.”

Joe and Pamela with their kids Jayden, 5, Valentina, 3, and Bachir, 1.

“This is a very distressing time for Jayden’s family, for his classmates and for our staff.”

Parents of classmates posted loving tributes to Jayden, who they described as a ‘bright and bubbly boy’.

“Fly high with the angels, precious boy,” one person wrote.

Another posted: “God bless you little angel. You are now in a peaceful wonderful world near God. To the family all my condolences and love to you”.

Jayden El Jer, 5, was a kindergarten student at Christ the King primary school in Sydney’s Hills district

The El Jer family, who live in Sydney’s Hills district, were visiting a hobby farm they own, when the tragedy happened after a day trip to the zoo in Dubbo.

Hours before her five-year-old son died in a horror flood, Mrs Hadchity filmed her family’s holiday trip driving through floodwater and time together at Dubbo Zoo.

Excited chatter about the animals from the children was captured in a video posted to social media just hours before tragedy struck the young family.

Jayden El Jer, whose life was taken in a floodwater tragedy, had only just turned five in March.

His parents, Joseph El Jer and Pam Hadchity, narrowly escaped after their vehicle was swept into raging floodwaters.

In another video posted a day prior, Mrs Hadchity filmed from the front passenger seat as their HiLux drove across a flooded road where her children’s excited squeals could again be heard in the background.

The El Jer family shared a video of the flooded roads online.

The rescue operation for the surviving family members was also captured on film.

In March, the doting mum posted a touching message to her little boy, saying “you make me proud, glad, happy and I will always be your biggest fan,” she wrote.

In his own post Mr El Jer said Jayden was a “blessing from the heavens”.

“You changed me into a father, something I only dreamt of. Now you and your siblings have made me complete.”

Mr El Jer, Mrs Hadchity and their two younger children were taken to Dubbo Hospital following the tragedy, and were still receiving treatment on Sunday afternoon.

Joseph, Pam and their kids Jayden, 5, Valentina, 3, and Bachir, 1 are well-known in Tullamore, with little Jayden’s death leaving the small community grief-stricken.

The El Jer family, from Granville, was well-known in the Tullamore community, owning a property named Wattle Glen just minutes from the heart of little town.

Locals said they would visit from Sydney often, and would sometimes attend the Tullamore Catholic church.

The Tullamore community was stricken with grief on Sunday, with mothers of children a similar age shedding a tear for the El Jer family.

“It’s absolutely devastating, things like this just don’t happen out here and everyone is just absolutely devastated for the family, everyone that went out there,” Local mum Adriana Stevenson said.

Tullamore local Adrianna Stevenson said the community is devastated by the split-second tragedy. Picture: Jeremy Piper

“It’s horrible, absolutely horrible.

“You just can’t explain how the family must feel, it’s obviously a mistake, a split second decision that’s gone terribly wrong.

“It gives you goosebumps.”

SES chief commander Rob Cunneen said local volunteers were looking after each following the horror rescue mission.

“They are a resilient bunch and they do look after each other,” he said.

“Most of them were back out assisting other people just hours later.”