57 Year Old Domestic Worker Drowns Alongside The Child Of Her Employer While Trying To Save Him From The Pool, This Is Very Sad

A domestic worker and her employer’s child have died in Kenwyn, Cape Town, after she apparently tried to jump into a pool to save him on Friday afternoon. The 2-year-old’s mother rushed home from work and was hysterical.

Witness Hanif Loonat told News24 the scene was “heartbreaking” and police and paramedics filled the usually quiet streets.


“The little one’s mother was hysterical. She kept screaming ‘My baby! Mommy is waiting for you!’ It was devastating.”

Loonat, who is also the chairperson of the local civic association, said bystanders remained hopeful that the toddler would be revived.

“According to information I received at the scene, the child had apparently been riding on his bike when he fell into the pool.

The child had apparently been riding on his bike when he fell into the pool.

“At the time, the child still had a pulse. I am no stranger to death, but there is nothing as sad as seeing a baby die. It’s harrowing.”

Floating face down in the pool

Netcare 911 spokesperson Chris Botha confirmed the domestic worker died at the scene while the boy died after being taken to hospital. Both were found floating face down.

Mark Kleinschmidt, of the Kenwyn Safety and Security Association, told News24 that he arrived at the scene around 14:30 to find one of the neighbours administering CPR to the child on the front lawn.

His information was that the domestic was 57-years-old.

He said the boy’s older brothers had jumped over the wall and discovered them in the pool.

“His explanation was that his brother had been vomiting after he had pulled him out of the pool… We administered CPR for about 20 minutes before the ambulance arrived,” he said.

"We administered CPR for about 20 minutes before the ambulance arrived.”

Kleinschmidt said he saw the domestic was half in, half out of the water and he got two people to help him pull her out before trying to resuscitate her.

“The mother was hysterical and overcome because the baby’s dad had also been killed three years ago in a motorbike accident.”