Daniel, 5, is third person pulled from Thames in 3 days
Tragedy as lad drowns after sneaking out
THE five-year-old boy who died in the Thames was the third person to be found dead in the river in the space of 48 hours.
Little Daniel Alaby was pulled from the water just before 6.30pm on Friday, less than an hour after vanishing from his home.
Police gave him CPR before paramedics rushed him to hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Just over a day and a half earlier, in the early hours of Thursday, a man died when his car entered the water in Battersea, south-west London.
And just after lunchtime on Friday, another body was recovered from the river near Westminster Bridge.
Detectives are still trying to piece together the circumstances around Daniel’s death after he disappeared from home in Thamesmead, south-east London.
Officers are supporting his family and say there is no evidence to suggest others were involved.
Floral tributes began appearing yesterday at the spot where he died.
One read: “Sleep peacefully. Thoughts are with your family.” Another said: “Rest in eternal peace little man.”
Local reverend
Sally Willett said: “Our deepest sympathy, love and prayers go out to his family, friends and the community at this tragic time.” One woman, who did not want to be named, said Daniel’s father was “an absolute wreck”. She added: “Daniel loves water, he’s drawn to the water.
“There should be higher railings – up there, it’s open, there’s not even a wall this big up there.
“You don’t see anyone sitting or climbing on the wall. The only people who do it are the fishermen.” She said Daniel lived a five-minute walk from where he was pulled from the water.
She added: “His dad this morning was saying, ‘We keep the doors locked, how did he get out?’
“I don’t understand how he’s not been seen by anyone… he lives within a five-minute walk, it would have taken him five minutes to climb up [the barrier], so where was everyone?”
Averil Lekau, a local Labour councillor, said: “This is a busy place – people running, cycling, all the time. A kid of that age on their own… for me, that would set off alarm bells.
“This is so unusual. Thamesmead has so many waterways, but the river, we’ve never had an issue with it.”