Toddler Luka Huddle’s mum Karin breaks her silence over tragic drowning in Lara dam as final heartbreaking act of paramedics is revealed

The mother of a two-year-old who was found dead in a dam has said her family is still ‘completely numb’ and their hearts ‘shattered’.

Karin Huddle’s son Luka was found unresponsive in a dam on a property off Goulburn Park Road – only a couple hundred metres from his home in Lara, a town about 18km north-east of Geelong – late on Tuesday night.

The toddler went missing at 5:20pm and police launched a massive search operation for the boy which included officers on foot and assistance from the Police Air Wing.

Luka’s mother, Karin Huddle, and his grandmother, Sharon Huddle, watched on as officers performed CPR until paramedics arrived.

Now Ms Huddle has opened up about how Luka’s death has impacted her entire family and how thankful they are for everyone who helped find him. 

Ms Huddle has since opened up about the ‘heart shattering’ loss and how it was impacted her family 

Ms Huddle told the Geelong Advertiser Luka meant the world to her and that he was taken ‘far too soon’.

‘We are still so much in shock and completely numb, my heart is shattered as well as his grandmother’s and his extended family,’ Ms Huddle said.

Luka’s grandmother, Sharon, said the paramedics who tried to save him held Luka’s body up after their vain attempts so that the family could say see him one last time.

‘They actually held his body up so we could say goodbye to him,’ she said.  

‘When I hugged my grandson, he was that cold,’ Sharon told the Herald Sun.

Ms Huddle thanked the officers who helped find her son and also extended a special thanks to the more than 200 people who donated to a GoFundMe set up to pay for his funeral expenses. 

‘We would like to thank all those that have reached out to us from friends to strangers we have never even met, from the bottom of our hearts thank you,’ she said.

Luka and his puppy, Poppy, had gone missing while tending to the family’s horses with his grandmother.

Luka’s grandmother, Sharon, watched on alongside her daughter as paramedics vainly tried to save his life 

 While searching Ms Huddle said they saw Poppy appear from the bushes completely covered in water.

‘I saw the dog come out of the laneway… I saw her come out of the bushes,’ Ms Huddle recalled.

‘I screamed at her “get home” and I ran. I’ve gone “where’s the dam?” because I’ve seen that she’s wet.

‘We’re thinking, that dog has come out to inform us there’s something gone wrong.’

The toddler only made it a couple hundred metres away before drowning in a dam on a neighbouring property.   

The dam where Luka was found is located behind a number of unkept greenhouses on private property across from the Huddle home.

Despite paramedics best attempts at CPR, they were unable to revive Luka who was pronounced dead at the scene. 

An investigation into the exact circumstances of his death is ongoing and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

A GoFundMe has been set up by Karin’s cousin to pay for his funeral expenses

Ms Huddle said that her son might not have died had there been proper fencing around the property and has called for the overgrown weeds and grass to be maintained.

Her cousin, Erin Kester, described Luka as a ‘precious’ and ‘beautiful’ boy who was ‘full of life and energy’.

‘Our hearts are breaking at the sudden shock of this event and the passing of dear beautiful cheeky little Luka who was always full of life and energy,’ Ms Kester said.

‘In May, we had a family gathering at Karin, Luka and Sharon’s home, with our extended family.

‘I was blessed to spend four nights with them in their home and share the joy and love of this beautiful little family.

‘In the arms of the angels, our beautiful little Luka Jade Edward.’