Three children aged six, eight and 12 have drowned in an abandoned fish pond in Saniko Community, Agbarha-Otor, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.

The victims were identified as Great Anthony Ikpera, 6; Goodluck Anthony Ikpera, 8; and Vwegba Jite Ikpera, 12. They were members of the Ikpera family from Awirhe Community, Agbarha-Otor.

The incident reportedly occurred after the children were declared missing by their parents on Saturday, prompting a search that continued into Sunday.

The President of the Agbarha Youth Council, Rufus Ovotu, and a family member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that the children’s bodies were found floating in the abandoned fish pond on Sunday morning.

The pond is located beside a flowing stream behind the community. The circumstances surrounding how the children entered the pond had yet to be independently established.

The incident has thrown the community into mourning, with sympathisers visiting the bereaved family to offer their condolences.

Ovotu urged parents to pay close attention to their children’s movements and prevent them from accessing streams and other potentially dangerous water bodies, particularly as water levels remain high.

Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Delta State Police Command were unsuccessful, as calls to its spokesperson, Bright Edafe, were not answered. He had also yet to respond to a WhatsApp message sent to him as of the time of filing this report. (The PUNCH)