CHILD DROWNED IN POND

Press, Volume C, Issue 29520, 23 May 1961, Page 17

CHILD DROWNED IN POND

Body Found After Long Night Search

(From Our Own Reporter) WAIMATE. May 22 After a night-long search by a large party of volunteers headed by police officers. the body of a four-year-old boy was found in a pond at the Waimate Borough Council's sewerage treatment reserve, about a quarter of a mile from his home. He was Derek Lindsay Kaan. son of Mr and Mrs R. H. Kaan. of 8 Edward street, Waimate. The boy was playing with other children when he was last seen by his mother a few minutes before 5 o'clock on Sunday evening. Mrs Kaan became alarmed when he did not appear for tea. and advised the police. The boy's body was found in the pond about 3 a m. on Monday. About 150 men. including five police officers, took part in the search. Working in the dark, and without any indication of the direction taken by the’ missing boy in his wanderings, th’ searchers onerated at a disadvantage. A blustering wind of gale force at times, with showers of rain, made renditions unpleasant and added to the difficulties of the search. Dog Leads to Pond At one stage a young dog owned by a volunteer member of the party was given the missing boy’s coat to scent. The dog led directly to the edge of the pond in the reserve in which the borough council’s sewerage treatment system is installed, and displayed an obvious de•:re to plunge in. In the hope of finding the boy alive. however. the search was continued in a wide area for several hours At a much later stage, when hope was at a low ebb. attent;on was directed to the nond. and the body of the bov was found about 3 a m The oond is situated at a distance of several chains f om the roadway Actually " is about midway between Racecourse road and High street, and is surrounded by s belt of trees. A stretch of open ground separates the belt of trees from the fenceline on Racecourse road An inquest was opened before the District Coroner ■Mr dA. S. Grut' and adjourned after evidence of identification had been given by Mr E R Butcher, a friend of the family. Sergeant E. W. F. Simpson expressed the appreciation of the police and the parents of the boy for tbe efforts of tbe search party.