Thoughts with the family of drowned toddler

The drowning of a two-year old boy in the Taruheru River on Thursday is an absolute tragedy says Gisborne District Council acting chief executive Nedine Thatcher-Swann. "Our thoughts are with the family and the three-year old who has been flown to Starship Hospital in Auckland."

"Mayor Meng Foon will be meeting with the family to offer Council's condolences."

Staff were at the Atkinson Street Reserve and the river first thing this morning to investigate the facts around the tragedy.

Kia Kaha Mangapapa Group spoke to Council last year about fencing the reserve at a meeting where general improvements for the area were discussed. Some money was allocated to the park which has initially been spent on fencing the stormwater culvert, a skatepark and a community garden.

"It's inconclusive as to whether fencing the reserve would have made a difference in this case until we have done more investigation," says Mrs Thatcher-Swann. "Around the country and the world it is very unusual to find our natural environments - rivers, lakes or ponds - fenced."

ENDS

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