A four-year-old has drowned in a public swimming pool despite being surrounded by family and friends.
Mia Harrison was found motionless at the bottom of a pool in Orange Aquatic Centre after drowning “in a matter of seconds” according to her mother.
Her mother, Mekaela Harrison, was holding a friend’s baby when Mia, who could not yet swim, drowned.
Lifeguards and family members attempted to revive the young girl but she was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital in NSW’s central west.
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“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,” Ms Harrison told the Daily Telegraph on Sunday.
“It was very crowded with lots of children and adults around.”
Ms Harrison has pleaded with parents to teach their children to swim as early as they can to prevent any other child dying in the same way.
“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,” she told the Tele.
Mia had recently attended an orientation day for kindergarten and was set to attend big school in January.
“She was my baby girl, my first born and she had a heart of gold.
“She would give me big cuddles and she was the sweetest darling¬ in the world.”
