A NINE-year-old girl was playing on a jetty with her friends when she slipped into the River Thames and drowned, an inquest has heard.
Luiza Paun, also known as Bia, was tragically pulled from the River Thames on May 30 last year, after falling into the water the previous day.
Nine-year-old Luiza Paun, also known as Bia, was tragically pulled from the River Thames on May 31 last yearCredit: Cover Images
She slipped into a river and drowned while playing on a jetty, an inquest heardCredit: Cover Images
A frantic search operation was launched after the youngster and two boys were reported to have got into trouble in the water.
On Friday, an inquest opening in Maidstone heard how Luiza, of Wrotham Road, Gravesend, was playing on a jetty near the Gordon Promenade, in the same town, when she took her shoes off and slipped into the water.
Members of the public jumped into the water to try to save the young girl.
But she was washed away and not seen until her body was found the following day, the inquest heard.
Coroner Katrina Hepburn told the court how Luiza, who was born in , was later identified by .
Her cause of death was given as drowning.
A full inquest will be held on March 18 at Oakwood House in Maidstone.
In the following days, floral tributes, including soft toys, were left at Newbridge Causeway, behind the Gravesend Rowing Club house, where she is believed to have entered the water.
One message said: “Rest in peace, little one.”
Another added: “May you find eternal peace in the arms of angels.”
Gravesham MP Dr Lauren Sullivan also posted a statement on social media offering her ‘deepest condolences’ to the family.
She added: “I would like to thank emergency services, including the coastguard, Police, the , and PLA many others for their efforts in the search.
“I know there are many opinions circulating at this time about the circumstances surrounding this tragic event, and from speaking to the authorities, it is right that there is an , as with all sad circumstances such as these.
“But at the heart of this is a family and community in grief, which I hope everyone can respect.
“I send my deepest condolences to the family and friends of the child, and keep them all in my thoughts at this time.”
It is understood that Bia was playing with her cousin near the water when she slipped and the current pulled her in.
Emergency services were scrambled to the Royal Terrace Pier in Gravesend, Kent, at around 1.45pm on May 30 following reports that two children, a boy and a girl, had got into difficulty in the water.
There was a huge search involving the police’s marine units, the coastguard helicopter and RNLI lifeboats.
The boy, thought to be seven, was later retrieved from the water and was taken to hospital in a stable condition.
According to a spokesperson for the nearby Gravesend Rowing Club, one of the men swam out using a life ring.
He managed to retrieve the boy, but lost sight of the girl before he could do anything to help her.
George Karnovski described how he rescued the “screaming” child from the water.
The 37-year-old said: “At the same time as pulling him out, I was looking around, like, where is she, where is she?
“I am shouting, saying ‘there is one more, there is one more’.
“I am looking around, [but] for love nor , I cannot see the little girl.”
Luiza Paun tragically died after falling into the waterCredit: Cover Images
Her cause of death was given as drowning, an inquest heardCredit: Cover Images
Floral tributes left at the scene after the tragedyCredit: Cover Images
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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