Massara Drowning: Pond was dug to help residents during dry season

The pond in Massara Village, Region Nine where three girls drowned on Tuesday was dug several years ago (in 2015) to assist residents during the dry season.

Toshao of Massara Village, Lenny Moses told the News Room on Wednesday that the pond also attracted residents including children, particularly during their leisure time, whether it is for fishing, gardening, or a swim.

On Tuesday, the three girls – Nia Jeffreys, 6; Michele Jeffreys, 5 and Alicia Dorrick, 9 ventured to the Razor Grass pond to swim.

The children left their home unknowing to their parents.

Toshao Moses said the incident has left the village and by extension the region in a state of shock.

What is more devastating is that the girls are from one family. Michele and Nia are sisters. Alicia is their cousin.

“Those ponds were initially for help in drought, in times like these for animals and if persons want to do any gardening close by. That was the aim of it.

“Apparently they (residents) would use it because a lot of fish would get trapped during the rainy season. So that is how they would go and catch fish I was told and then they would eventually bathe. So it happened, yesterday was a bad lucky day for them,” Toshao Moses said.

Police Headquarters said that upon realising the children were absent, the parents began a frantic search.

Eventually, they arrived at Razor Grass pond, where the bodies of the three girls were found floating in the water.

The News Room was told that the pond is surrounded by bushes and there are no houses close by.

“You really can’t find houses, the closest house might be like let’s say about 500 meters.

“The pond is surrounded by bushes… but the pond itself is dry and you have a nice clean surrounding. A deep open space,” Toshao Moses told the News Room.

In an invited comment, Police Commander of Region Nine, Raphael Rose told the News Room that foul play is not suspected in the girls’ death.

However, he said the police are awaiting the autopsy reports to confirm how they met their demise.

“There were no marks of violence or so but we are just waiting on the post mortem to tell us the cause of death,” Commander Rose said.

The autopsies are scheduled to be conducted on Saturday.