Girl, 2, found floating dead

CEBU, Philippines - A two-year-old girl was found dead floating under the coastal houses of Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City yesterday morning.

The victim was identified as Mary Jane Villagonzalo, the tenth and youngest child of Suzette Villagonzalo who resides in the same barangay.

Police officer Joseph Cutanda of Lapu-Lapu City Police Office –Homicide Section, also a resident of the barangay, was the one who saw the lifeless girl that morning washed away by the sea under the houses.

The neighbors immediately tried to rescue the child and attempted to revive her to no avail.

Suzette, the mother, was not able to notice her youngest daughter gone because she was busy preparing the school needs of her nine other children.

According to Cutanda, residents reported that Mary Jane possibly went for a swim near the area and an unknown fast craft might have passed by washed away by the sea resulting to her untimely death.

The child was immediately brought to the Our Lady of The Rule General and Maternal Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.