Tragedy as five young brothers and sisters drown in river

Pambujan Northern Samar Google
The scene of the tragedy. Image via Google Maps

A family has been left devastated after five young children — all brothers and sisters — drowned while swimming in a river in Northern Samar yesterday (Monday, April 10).

The siblings reported drowned in a remote village near Pambujan town after sneaking away from their home to cool off.

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They have been identified as Janella Isabel Suansing, aged 10, and her younger siblings John Cedric, seven; John Fritz, five; John Jopel, four and John Felix, two. They all lived with their parents at Barangay Doña Aniceta, about five miles away from Pambujan.

Police spokeswoman Geraldine Castillo said the children had asked for permission to swim in the river near their home.

But their parents – named as Josephine and Felipe – told them they couldn’t because they didn’t have time to keep an eye on them.

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Later, after Felipe had left for work and Josephine was busy doing her laundry the children slipped out of the house and went to the river.

When they failed to come home for lunch at 1pm, Josephine went in search for the children — and made the tragic discovery.

The bodies of the children were found floating in the river at 1.40pm. They were taken to the St Scholastica Hospital in Pambujan, where they were pronounced dead on arrival.

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“The water current was not that strong. They probably swam to the deeper part of the river and drowned,” Ms Castillo said.