A heartbroken mother has recounted the horrifying moment she found out her child had drowned in a septic tank.
Amanpreet and her family had intended to spend March 19 celebrating a friend’s housewarming, however the day quickly turned into a nightmare when her son, Nihal, went missing.
After a frantic search across the property in Victoria, the three-year-old’s body was found inside a septic tank after he had stepped on its unsecured lid and fallen in.
Those looking for Nihal had unwittingly passed by the tank numerous times, only checking inside after another child got their leg caught in it.
Upon looking inside, they found Nihal’s jumper lying atop the murky water – revealing the tragic fate of the little boy.
Septic tanks are mostly found on rural properties that don’t have access to a sewage system, providing an area for waste to by stored.
Speaking to Kidsafe Victoria to help raise awareness over the dangers of septic tanks, Amanpreet revealed she ‘had never heard of a septic pit before that day’.
She also said that she couldn’t remember how many times she had passed over the tank’s lid before searching it.
‘I was running past the septic pit six, seven times saying “Nihal, mommy’s here”,’ Amanpreet recounted.
‘You don’t have to come to me … just say mama.’
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Another child ran past shortly after and while stepping on the lid had flipped it over, alerting the parents to Nihal’s potential location.
‘My friend somehow removed the lid, I just saw dark water with some tissues and the jumper my son (was wearing) floating,’ Amanpreet said through tears.
‘I kept shouting, “No, it’s not Nihal, it’s just his jumper”.
‘But then a man pulled out the jumper, and it was my son.’
The mother lamented about not ‘having time to get ready’ for her son’s death and never being able to say goodbye.
