By Hou Akot Hou
A 10-year-old girl drowned in Aweil East County, Northern Bahr El Ghazal state, on Tuesday after asking her mother for permission to bathe in the river.
Mr. Garang Aguer Ben, the boma administrator of Wun-Atem-Mei in Baac Payam, said the incident shocked residents.
“The residents of the boma were shocked to learn about the tragic loss of the 10-year-old girl who drowned here on Tuesday. Her family reported that she went to bathe in the river and left her clothes on the bank, but her body has not been found so far,” Aguer said in a phone interview.
“We are still searching for her remains, and this has deeply saddened her family and the entire community,” he added.
The administrator mentioned that some residents speculated the girl may have suffered from a condition resembling epilepsy, which she had reportedly dealt with in the past.
He urged families living along the riverbanks to monitor their children closely, especially those who do not know how to swim.
The victim might have attempted to dive into the water and was unable to return safely.
Additionally, he has called on local fishermen to assist in the search for the missing girl’s body.