Chinese girl fighting for life after she falls into pool at first birthday celebrations

A toddler in southeastern China has been left in a critical condition after nearly drowning when her mother turned her back for a moment at a swimming pool, local media reported.

The girl, nicknamed Xiao Ai, had been taken to a leisure centre in the Cangshan district of Fuzhou, the capital of Fujian province, on Wednesday to celebrate her first birthday when she slipped off a buoy in the infants’ pool, Strait News reported.

Staff and her mother tried to perform first aid on the girl before taking her to hospital, where she was revived and is continuing to receive treatment in intensive care.

Girl, eight, falls to her death trying to copy Chinese cartoon

Lin Shuyin, the doctor who treated the toddler said she had no heartbeat when she arrived at the hospital but was given an adrenaline shot and revived after 20 minutes of CPR.

The accident happened when staff members had been called away from the pool to deal with a goods delivery.

The girl had been using a neck float in the 10 square metre pool but her mother was worried it was too loose so she removed it and then placed the girl on top of the round buoy.

The report said CCTV footage from the centre suggested that the mother had been answering a message on her phone when Xiao Ai slipped off the buoy and spent about a minute in the water before she was rescued.

Chinese brothers die trying to save phone from latrine

The newspaper said the girl’s parents had spent the night at the hospital and were accompanied by staff from the pool, which has promised to pay part of the girl’s medical bills.

Police are now studying CCTV from the swimming baths although it was not known whether anyone would face charges.