A toddler celebrating her first birthday at a pool in south-east China took a tragic turn after a drowning incident has left her fighting for her life in hospital.
The girl, nicknamed Xiaoai, had been playing in an infant’s pool at a leisure centre in Fuzhou city, Fujian province while her mother was seen texting on her phone.
Xiaoai had accidentally slipped out of her floating ring and struggled underwater for more than 90 seconds before being spotted by her horrified mother.
A one-year-old girl (circled) in south-east China’s Fuzhou city was left submerged in the pool as her clueless mother was seen texting on her phone right beside the infant’s pool
The mother (circled), identified as Ms Wu, said she had her back turned for a minute or two
She had been taken to hospital and remained in intensive care.
Surveillance footage of the heart-stopping incident on July 31 shows the little girl playing in the pool at about 5pm before flipping sideways and plunging her head underwater.
However, her mother, later identified as Ms Wu, did not notice her struggling daughter despite standing right next to the 10 square metre (107 square foot) pool.
The woman later said she turned her back on her child for about a minute or two to respond to some text messages from her friend, according to Haixia Metro.
The clip also showed that another child in the pool noticed the drowning girl and attempted to get the attention of the mother, but the clueless woman waved him off
Xiaoai was completely submerged for almost a minute and a half, wriggling her legs weakly underwater, before the mother noticed her and rushed to scoop her out of the water
The girl remained in intensive care at Fujian Provincial Hospital, according to Haixia Metro
At the same time, staff members of the centre had been called away from the pool to receive a goods delivery.
The clip also showed that another child in the pool noticed the drowning girl and attempted to get the attention of the mother, but the clueless woman waved him off.
Xiaoai was completely submerged for almost a minute and a half, wriggling her legs weakly underwater, before the mother noticed her.
Ms Wu rushed to scoop her daughter out of the water and attempted CPR before leaving the premises.
When she finally arrived at Fujian Provincial Hospital 20 minutes later, Xiaoai did not have a heartbeat and was not breathing and her face had turned purple, according to the report citing Dr Lin Shuqin.
Earlier this week, a three-year-old boy in north-west China’s Hebei province nearly drowned in similar circumstances after struggling underwater for at least two minutes
After nearly 20 minutes of emergency rescue, doctors were able to restart the toddler’s heart and transported her to intensive care unit.
The report stated that she still has not regained consciousness and remained in critical condition.
The manger of the infant pool has offered to cover part of the girl’s medical expenses.
Earlier this week, a three-year-old boy in north-west China’s Hebei province nearly drowned in similar circumstances after struggling underwater for at least two minutes.