Teenage boy Kanady Moo found dead after jumping into Werribee River
Loved ones of a teenage boy who drowned in a “dangerous” stretch of water at a popular swimming spot in the Werribee River say he just wanted to enjoy time with his friends on a hot day.
Victoria
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A teenager who died while swimming at Werribee River with friends has been remembered as a “quiet” boy who loved his family.
Kanady Moo tragically died at the popular swim spot on Melbourne Cup Day, despite desperate attempts from locals to save him.
The boy, 13, is thought to have drowned after he jumped into the river near River Park Court at about 7pm.
The friends he was playing with told a neighbour, who tried to save him, that the teenager couldn’t swim well.
The Air Wing, Search and Rescue, police and SES all searched for the teenager, before police confirmed his death at 10.30pm.
There was a solemn scene at the river as the boy’s friends and family stood beside SES tents and floodlights as police divers entered the water and his body was recovered.
His friends and family returned to the scene on Wednesday morning, laying flowers and paying tribute.
Cousin Law Soe said the boy and his family had migrated from Thailand two years ago.
“He was quiet,” she said. “It was very hot yesterday and he wanted to enjoy time with his friends before going to school tomorrow.”
She said he “just wanted to enjoy his life here with his family”.
Another relative, who climbed the tree the boys are believed to have been jumping from, said he was “never going near water again”.
He then taped bunches of flowers to the tree, and jumped into the water in tribute.
About a dozen friends and family war river at the river to pay their respects to the young boy.
They knelt by the water and stood side-by-side comforting one another.
Local woman Ivanka Mladichek and her son visited the scene on Wednesday morning, saying a prayer for the boy and threw petals into the water.
Ms Mladichek said kids would often hang out at the river, but warned it could be unpredictable.
“The currents can move the branches, one person may jump in … and the next person may be unlucky and hurt themselves,” she said.
“It’s a popular spot with young teenagers … they have fun. But it can be dangerous.”
She said signage needed to be put up to “make children aware.”
“It’s a very tragic and sad event.”
NEIGHBOURS DESPERATELY TRIED TO SAVE BOY
Neighbours described a desperate attempt to reach the boy in the water.
A distressed woman knocked on a neighbour’s door asking them to call for help.
The neighbour immediately ran to the river and got in the water, swimming out to where they could see faint bubbles on the surface. But there was no sign of the boy.
The neighbour, who asked not to be named, said it was a busy day at the swimming spot because of the hot weather.
She said it was a “heartbreaking” moment, knowing they could not reach the boy.
“It’s dreadful, absolutely dreadful,” she said. “I just feel horrible for the poor family.”
She said that section of the river was so deep you could jump in from the tall tree on the riverbank and not be able to reach the bottom.
She said the four friends who were with the boy had limited English and told her their friend could not swim.
The friends had also been in the water and raised the alarm when they realised the boy was in trouble.
“One of the friends was on the phone to the police when I got out of the water and was trying to convey that there’d been an emergency. His English wasn’t good. So he passed the phone over. By the time emergency service arrived it was all over.”
Walkers continued along the popular track on Wednesday morning, some pausing at the spot where the tragedy occurred.
A large gum tree sits on the banks of the river and a small handmade platform can be seen at the top of one of the branches.
One neighbour, who gave her name only as Vicki, laid a bunch of flowers at the scene.
She said it was a busy spot in summer.
“The kids sometimes jump [from the tree]”, she said. “Kids are kids.”
The boy’s death is not being treated as suspicious, and police will prepare a report for the coroner.