Toddler Drowns in River After Being Left by Grandmother in Lombok

A toddler died after drowning in a river near his home in Nyiur Lembang Village, Narmada District, West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). The victim, identified by his initials WS, was only 1 year and 3 months old.

Iptu Subhan, the public relations officer for Mataram Police Resort, revealed that the victim had been cared for by his grandmother. According to Subhan, the toddler’s parents had separated, and the child’s mother was known to be suffering from psychological disturbance.

Before being found drowned, the victim had been playing on a mound of sand approximately 10 metres from the river’s edge. His grandmother was also present at the time. The grandmother left her grandson briefly to adjust a television antenna at the front of the house. “However, when she returned, the victim was no longer at the location,” Subhan explained.

The panic-stricken grandmother immediately searched with nearby residents. Shortly afterwards, a resident named Susan Hadi spotted a suspicious object in the river. “Upon closer inspection, the object was the victim’s body,” Subhan said.

The witness called out to other residents for help retrieving the victim from the water. After being evacuated, the toddler was immediately taken to Asoka Clinic in Nyiur Lembang, Narmada District. However, the child’s life could not be saved.

“Medical staff reported that the victim was already deceased upon arrival at the clinic,” Subhan stated.

Subhan explained that the family declined an autopsy of the victim and accepted the incident as a tragedy. He urged parents and families to always supervise and ensure the safety of children, particularly toddlers, and called on the community to increase vigilance to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.