Update: Body of 11-Y-0 boy found in canal

A De Kinderen, West Coast Demerara family is in mourning after their 11-year-old relative drowned in a canal next to their home on Friday afternoon.

Dead is Akon Richards. Residents from the area found his body almost three hours after they launched the search; the body was found in the general area where Richards was caught on camera going under.

Surveillance cameras mounted at a nearby shop captured Richards playing with two other children next to the canal and it appeared as if he slipped inside at around 15:00h.

The video shows Richards fighting to stay above the water and trying to swim while the two other children stood and watched; the children appeared to be screaming at Richards to grab their hands but he was too far away.

After Richards went under and did not come back up, the children ran away but his grandmother, who is a security guard, only realized he was missing when she returned home from work a few hours later.

She launched a frantic search and then the owner of the shop reviewed his cameras when he saw the entire incident. Residents of the community immediately banded together and searched the canal for some three hours before his body was found.

The Police were also contacted and assisted in the search. Richards lived with his grandmother after his mother died two years ago.