By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – A family outing turned tragic when an eight-year-old boy died while his three other minor brothers were rescued after they drowned in the sea at Purok 4, Barangay Asia, Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental Friday, January 1, 2021.
Lieutenant Chrysler John Ledesma, deputy police chief of Hinoba-an Municipal Police Station, identified the fatality as Justine De Leon, 8.
Ledesma said the four brothers along with their father went swimming around 7 a.m. to welcome the New Year, when the tragedy happened.
Ledesma said the father didn’t see his children going farther from the seashore, until they reached the deep part of the sea.
“Dasig sila nalumos kay indi sila kabalo maglangoy, kag kantilado ang tubig,” Ledesma said.
Ledesma said their father tried to rescue them all but, it took him a while to see De Leon, whose body was found floating in the sea few hours later.
Rescuers tried to save De Leon but he was declared dead in the hospital, while his three brothers survived after they were immediately rescued.
