A three-year-old girl saved her toddler sister from drowning by screaming for help when she saw that she had fallen into their backyard pool in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The father, who was sweeping leaves nearby, immediately jumped into the pool to rescue the drowning toddler.
The father is now urging parents not to take their eyes off their kids when they are around water, the Epoch Times reported.
A hero sister
As shown in a home security video, sisters Kana and Kaning Kanuengnit, aged three and two, played around the family pool with inflatable toys. The younger daughter carried an inflatable swimming ring around the pool, while the elder daughter just played near the pool. Kaning, who was walking near the pool, slipped and fell sideways into four feet of water.
According to Newsflare, the CCTV footage showed that Kaning was flailing in the pool and had started swallowing mouthfuls of water before sinking to the bottom.
Their father, Apisit Kanuengnit, 29, whose back was turned when Kaning slipped, was sweeping leaves near the pool.
The older sister, Kana, however, was quick to respond. When she saw her sister fall into the pool, the video showed that she was shocked for a second, but she immediately screamed and called her dad's attention.
Apisit dropped his broom and jumped into the water immediately, pulling the child to safety. The father later realized that he still had his phone and other items in his pocket. He removed his phone, placed it at the side of the pool, and then returned his attention to the kids.
Moments later, Kaning caught her breath and began to cry. She was unharmed thanks to her sister's vigilance and quick thinking.
Never take your eyes off the kids when near water
The father said it was his mistake for being careless, but he said he was fortunate that he had his eldest daughter, his little hero. He said that the kids do not know how to swim, but they are pretty familiar with the pool since they are often in the water.
His wife was in the kitchen, and the family was not planning on any pool activity. The father said he did not notice or hear anything unusual when the toddler slipped into the pool.
He said he is sharing his story to remind parents to be more vigilant when watching over the kids. He also cautioned parents that when kids are near the water, they should not take their eyes off them even for a split second. He also advised parents with small kids and a pool around the house to put up a barrier around the pool. Otherwise, they should always be more careful.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the global report on drowning in 2014 reveals that the highest drowning rates are among children aged one to four years old. It is often associated with a lapse in supervision.
