Tragedy struck the community of Rio Novo in Santa Catarina, Brazil, when a 1-year-and-7-month-old girl was found dead in a pond on June 30 after being missing for several hours.
She was last seen around 9:00 a.m. while her family prepared breakfast. According to her father, she quietly left the house and may have wandered to her aunt’s nearby home. A large search effort involving police, firefighters, dogs, and boats ended around 1:10 p.m. when her body was discovered about 100 meters from home.
Authorities believe she may have accidentally fallen into the water while playing near the pond. An investigation is ongoing, and all possibilities are being considered.
The incident deeply saddened the local community, and officials are urging families to improve safety around bodies of water, especially for young children.
