[UPDATED] Grieving mother of toddler who drowned: God sent Sarah for a purpose

Two-year-old Sarah Mano, who brought joy and light to her family, died tragically on Friday night, when she fell head first into a bucket of water in the family’s bathroom and drowned.

The child's mother Joanna Mano said she was looking forward to celebrating the second birthday of her twin, Sarah and Malachi, on May 29, but now had to make funeral arrangements and say goodbye.

Screams filled the quiet Railway Road, San Francique community around 8 pm on Friday, when Sarah's body was found.

After failing to revive her, Mano said she called her father-in-law who took them to the Siparia District Facility. She said although Sarah still had a faint pulse when she got there, resuscitation efforts by medical staff failed to save the child.

In a telephone interview on Saturday, Mano, a housewife, said she was doing her chores while Sarah was playing with her other five siblings. She was suddenly overcome with a strange feeling that something was wrong and went in search of Sarah.

“She was very close to her older sister Samara. She would go into Samara’s room and kiss her. I asked Samara where was Sarah and she said she did not know.”

After a brief search of the family’s home, she found Sarah's unconscious body in the bathroom.

The grieving mother said it was bath time for the twins and she normally filled a bucket before she added hot water.

“I cannot say if she went to bathe herself, I don’t know. One minute she was playing with her two brothers and next minute she disappeared. I constantly check on them when they are home. They are always around me.”

She recalled how happy and excited she was when she discovered she was having twins.

She said Sarah turned out to be the more extrovert while her twin brother was quieter.

“She was a very happy, jolly child. She loved dancing and singing gospel music. She used to light up everybody life.”

Mano said the family who are members of the Community Worship Centre at Penal Rock Road, regularly attended church service and Sarah developed a genuine love for the Lord.

“She developed a love for singing gospel songs and she knew the words because I played them all the time at home."

Mano said she had high hopes her youngest daughter would have been a minister of the word in the future.

Based on her Christian belief, Mano said, “I believe God would have sent her to our family for a time and purpose and her purpose on this earth has been fulfilled. He is taking back his little angel just like he would take us back when our time has come.

“God is in control, no matter what. We have to trust his will. As a family we are trying to hold it together, praying together and asking God to give us strength.”

She commended the medical staff at the Siparia District Health facility, singling out nurse Roberts and doctors Seepaul and Hinkson.

“Those two doctors and nurse did everything they could to keep her heart going. They took turns pumping her heart, trying to revive her, but then they had to give up after doing all that they could.”

The child's body was subsequently taken to the San Fernando General Hospital pending an autopsy.

Ag Cpl Taikan and WPC Blaize visited the scene and took several photographs and PC Sookram is continuing investigations.

This story was originally published with the title "Toddler drowns in bucket of water in San Francique" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

A San Francique family was plunged into mourning after their two-year-old daughter drowned in a bucket of water in the family's bathroom on Friday night.

Sarah Mano, a twin, who would have celebrated her second birthday on May 29, was rushed to the Siparia District Health facility by her mother Joanna Mano, who found her head down in the bucket of water.

When she arrived at the health facility, the toddler still had a pulse. Doctors tried to revive her, administering CPR, but after several minutes she was declared dead around 8.40 pm.

Mano, 47, told the police she was at her Railway Road, San Francique home a round 8.05 pm on May 19, with her children, when she missed Sarah.

Checks were made around the house and Sarah was found with her head submerged in a bucket of water in the bathroom.

A nurse at the Siparia District Health Facility contacted the Penal Police Station and reported the suspected drowning. Ag Cpl Taikan and WPC Blaze visited and photographed the scene.

PC Sookram is continuing investigations. The child's body was taken to the mortuary of the San Fernando General Hospital, pending an autopsy next week.