A father has been left to raise his one-year-old son by himself after his wife and their two older children drowned in a river after heading to a park to play.
The young family, believed to be from the Fairfield area, died at Shearer Park off Hollywood Drive, Lansvale, in Sydney’s south west, on the Georges River on Saturday.
Haoi, 32, along with her two children Mitchell and Hazel Nguyen, aged seven and five, ventured down to the boat jetty at about 10am.
Emergency services rushed to the boat ramp about 10:15am following reports a woman and two children were in the water ‘in distress’.
Haoi was pulled from the water but could not be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Following a massive water search, the bodies of Mitchell and Hazel were recovered from the water several hours later.
A GoFundMe campaign, started to help raise money for the funeral costs, revealed Haoi’s husband, and father to Mitchell and Hazel, has been left to raise their one-year-old son Macario on his own.
Vietnamese woman Haoi, 32, and her two children Mitchell and Hazel Nguyen, aged seven and five, drowned in the Georges River on Saturday
Emergency services rushed to the boat ramp on Shearer Park off Hollywood Drive, Lansvale, on the Georges River following reports a woman and two children were in the water ‘in distress’
‘I am reaching out to you during a time of unimaginable sorrow,’ Sarah Vu wrote.
‘A beloved mother and her two young children tragically drowned today in Lansvale leaving behind a profound void in our hearts and a father and baby who is only one years old.
‘We hope to raise funds to aid the funeral and to assist the father to look after young Macario in this time of grief.
‘Every contribution, no matter how small, will make a significant difference.’
At the time of writing, the GoFundMe had received 261 donations totalling $15,585, with a goal of raising $40,000.
Friends and family have also shared touching tributes to the trio on social media.
‘It’s very painful… my friend and two kids (were) suddenly lost today,’ one friend wrote on Facebook.
‘Two days ago I just talked to you (I am) waiting for you to come back.’
Acting Super Intendant Luke Scott from Fairfield City police said the tragedy was ‘beyond words’ with police now investigating the circumstances surrounding how the trio ended up in the water.
‘Police and a number of bystanders conducted an immediate search operation for that female and two children,’ Detective Scott said.
‘It’s beyond words, how tragic it would have been for people who observed what happened and also for the family.
‘A number of the bystanders made their own attempts to rescue the children and their mother but unfortunately they weren’t successful in that.’
Police launched a major search and rescue for the two children, however the pair were found hours later near the jetty
Detective Scott said police are investigating whether the children were swimming or fell in, and if the mother jumped in to rescue them among other possibilities.
It is understood, the young family, who is believed to be from the Fairfield area, were at Shearer Park playing before walking down to the boat jetty at about 10am.
Bystanders at the park heard their calls for help and rushed to their aid, with some jumping straight into the water and others using boats and jetskis in an attempt to rescue them.
Haoi was pulled from the water, with locals performing CPR on the 32-year-old before police and paramedics arrived.
A major search, including 100 emergency services personal, was launched in search of the missing children.
Mitchell and Hazel’s bodies were found at about 2pm just metres from the jetty where they fell.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner in relation to the three deaths.
Anyone with information about relating to this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
