Ottawa residents are mourning the loss of a two-year-old child who died after being pulled from the Ottawa River on Friday. Emergency services were called to the Kichi Zibi Mikan Parkway area just before 7 p. m. following reports of a missing child in the water. A coordinated search was launched, involving the Ottawa Police Service, marine dive teams, tactical officers, and the Gatineau Police Service. The Ottawa Police Air Support Unit located the child approximately 40 minutes after the initial call.
First responders initiated resuscitation efforts on the riverbank before transporting the child to the hospital, where they were later pronounced dead. Ottawa Police have expressed their condolences to the family and loved ones affected by this tragedy. Support services have been made available to both the family and the first responders involved in the difficult rescue operation.
Insp. Brian Samuel of the Ottawa Police Service noted that water levels in the Ottawa River are currently high, and the currents are deceptively strong. "Sadly, this is the time of year when we see drownings because... on the surface the water looks calm, and [people] might wade into the water," he said. "But the current, it sweeps people away."
As is standard procedure in incidents involving the death of a young child, the Ottawa Police Service's Homicide Unit is investigating the incident alongside the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit. While the investigation is ongoing, police have indicated that a preliminary assessment suggests the incident was accidental.
