A partially deaf Auckland woman has spoken of the devastating moment she discovered the body of 8-year-old Gurshabad Singh in her backyard swimming pool, saying she never heard the autistic schoolboy enter her property before he drowned.
The Tragedy Unfolds
Gurshabad died in November last year after escaping from a school transport van in Te Atatū South and making his way through nearby properties before ending up in the pool. The woman told the NZ Herald that she was working from home that afternoon and had no idea the child had entered her yard.
"I thought I'd check on the washing and my granddaughter's pants were wet, so I thought I'd hang them out on the balcony under the sun," she said. As she stepped outside, she noticed something in the pool.
She added: "I saw his body submerged under the water and it took me a few seconds to take in what I'd seen ... I thought, 'F**k, is that really what I think it is?' I nearly had a heart attack. I thought my grandson had died."
Immediate Response
The shocked woman immediately called emergency services and rushed to check on her grandson. She was afraid that it was her grandson floating in the water. The woman said she and her family had heard nothing unusual before the discovery.
"We didn't hear anything. I'm deaf, and my grandson was asleep, and there was no shouting or anything," she said. Realising the child was not a member of her family, she ran to a neighbouring property and desperately called out for help. She recalled banging on the fence and screaming, "Does anyone have a missing child?"
Her neighbour responded and rushed to the pool alongside her teenage grandson. "My neighbour came straight across, and he and my grandson ran to the pool and got the wee little man out," she said. The neighbour began chest compressions while the teenager checked for a pulse and supported the boy's head.
Heroic Efforts
The woman described the helping pair as "absolute heroes" and said, "They gave him a spark of hope." Despite their efforts, Gurshabad could not be saved. Emergency responders later told her he may have been in the water for between 10 and 15 minutes.
The woman said she has struggled to come to terms with the tragedy and has taken time off work. Holding back tears, she described Gurshabad as a "wee little man" and said she was grieving alongside his family. "We are grieving the loss alongside the family. No parent should ever have to walk down the path of losing a child."
Background of the Incident
Gurshabad was non-verbal and on the autism spectrum. He had gone missing after escaping from a school transport van. His parents have described him as a bright and energetic child who was extremely fast and known to wander off if given the opportunity. Police were searching nearby streets and a creek area before his body was found. According to the homeowner, officers later told her the boy had been seen moving through neighbouring properties and jumping fences.
The property's swimming pool was fully fenced and complied with Auckland Council regulations. Gurshabad's parents are still looking for answers on how the 8-year-old escaped the school bus.
