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Toddler Drowns in Bathtub After What Mother Describes As An ‘Honest Mistake’

A tragedy that could have been prevented.

Fifteen-month-old Junior Donley drowned in the bath at his home in Morphett Vale, Adelaide on Sunday.

His mother, Kelly-Anne Deverix has opened up about the “honest mistake” that means she will never see her “bouncy, active” boy ever again.

Deverix, 33, says she left Junior alone in the bath for “10-15 minutes”, feeling he would be safe because he could stand on his own.

“(As a parent) we know what our children are capable of and not capable of. I just took that risk and that chance which I shouldn’t have,” she tells The Advertiser.  

“But I can’t go regretting, I can’t keep blaming myself for an honest mistake.”

The mother of four went to unload the washing and came back to find her lifeless son in the bathtub.

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Junior’s father, Paul Donley reportedly rushed into try and revive the boy with CPR. But it was too late.

“I just grabbed him straight off her, doing CPR . . . I ended up with vomit in my mouth,” he said.

“I thought I got him back a couple of times but I didn’t, but I didn’t fix him. Usually I can fix things, but I couldn’t fix him,” he said. “He was every father’s and mother’s dream boy. I know he’s gone but he’s still here with us.”

Police have confirmed that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Junior’s death but have not released ay further details.

The family are believed to have been known to Families SA, reports the Daily Mail.  

Drowning is one of the leading causes of unintentional death in Australia according to Kidsafe, who reiterate the importance of remaining vigilant in watching children around bodies of water, no matter how big or small.

“Young children can drown in as little as 5cm of water and really, really quickly. It can happen so quickly, and silently,” Kidsafe SA executive officer Holly Fitzgerald told The Advertiser.

For more information on resuscitation click here

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