Girl, 3, dies after being pulled from Hawkesbury River
A little girl, who was reported missing from a yacht, has died after being pulled from the Hawkesbury River by police near Brooklyn.
Hornsby
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A COMMUNITY is heartbroken after a three-year-old girl died after being pulled from the Hawkesbury River near Brooklyn.
The toddler was reported missing from a 7m yacht on Tuesday afternoon.
Water police found the three-year-old girl in the water, pulled her out and tried to revive her near Deerubbun Reserve.
Heart wrenching footage shows a number of officers around the body and a paramedic pressing down on the girl’s chest.
A police spokeswoman said the child was pulled from the water shortly after 12.45pm. She was flown to The Children’s Hospitalat Westmead after being taken to Mooney Mooney in a critical condition. However, she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Robert Biegalke, who witnessed paramedics trying to save the girl, said he realised something was happening when he saw a low-flying helicopter.
“That’s when the police boat came rushing into the boat area here,” he said. “It was incredibly busy. Paramedics were working on someone straight away. You could see the paramedics just endlessly giving CPR for a long time. I felt like it was too long to be good.”
The child was flown to The Children's Hospital at Westmead, after being taken to Mooney Mooney, in a critical condition.
However, she was pronounced dead after arriving at hospital.
A worker in Mooney Mooney, who did not want to be named, said she heard emergency services and the rescue helicopter but had no idea what was happening.
“We heard them here from the club but we had no idea what was happening,” she said.
“We saw the Marine rescue boys who moor at our jetty but they are often out on the water so we did not think much of it.”
She said she only found out what happened when she heard it on the radio.
Hornsby councillor Nathan Tilbury said: “I am unaware if the family was local, but safety on the Hawkesbury is one of council’s major concerns ... a beautiful day turned into a nightmare for one family and the entire community is heartbroken to hear of their loss.
“One of the things that makes us such a strong community is the fact that we all come together in a time of crisis and nomatter where these people are from, we are here for them.”
It was not known whether the girl was wearing a lifejacket. A report will be prepared for the coroner.
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