3-Year-Old Boy Dies After Falling Into Canal With His Mother

A 3-year-old boy and his mother fell into a canal over the weekend. Though rescuers were able to save the woman, the boy died in the accident.

The tragic incident occurred near Ash Bridge in Berkshire, the United Kingdom, on Saturday. Police, with the help of firefighters and paramedics, rescued the mother and the son from the water. They were rushed to a nearby hospital, but the boy died there later, Berkshire Live reported.

"As you may be aware, our officers were called at about 2 p.m. yesterday following reports that a three-year-old child and his mother had fallen into the canal near Ash Bridge, near the A339, Newbury," Thames Valley Police tweeted. "Officers attended. Both the woman and child were recovered from the water and taken to hospital. Tragically, the child later died in hospital."

Police said the mother has since been discharged from the hospital. "His family are being supported by specially trained officers and his mother has been discharged from hospital," the statement added.

The child's identity was not disclosed. A spokesperson for the Thames Valley Police Department told Berkshire Live that the death was being treated as "unexplained but not suspicious," adding that "a file will be prepared for the coroner."

In February, a boy died while trying to save his 6-year-old sister from drowning in an icy pond outside their house in Tennessee. Benjamin Luckett, 10, was playing with his younger sister when the latter, Abigail, lost her footing and slipped into the pond. Benjamin jumped into the pond to rescue Abigail and a third sibling rushed to inform their parents. Their father, Robert, was able to pull Abigail out of the frigid water but couldn't rescue Benjamin.