WHAT was supposed to be a quiet Sunday afternoon, quickly turned into a nightmare for the family of 10-year-old Anand Mangru, after it was reported that he had presumably drowned.

When the Guyana Chronicle arrived at the Hope, Lowland seawall, where the lad and two of his siblings were reportedly having an afternoon swim, several public-spirited persons were gathered to assist in a search for the missing child. His mother who was inconsolable, along with several of his relatives were also at the scene.

The woman, whose correct name this newspaper was unable to ascertain, was in and out of consciousness and was being comforted by residents and some of her relatives.

The lad’s aunt, Jenilee Jacobs told the Guyana Chronicle that around 17:00hrs her eldest nephew who is 13-years-old, alerted her that his younger sibling had gone missing under the water.

“Around four minutes to five, my big nephew come and I ask he what happen and he say ‘aunty call somebody’ and I say, ‘Who you want I call?’ He say call mommy and then he say he can’t find he little brother. I ask he what happen [and] he said he drowned,” the woman related.

Jacobs said she quickly ran out of her home and alerted neighbours. Together, they began to search for her nephew.

“I told my girlfriend let we lock the door and go and one of my neighbours ask me what happen and I tell she how one of my nephew drown so everybody just run out.”

According to a resident, persons would often go to the seawall to “chill and relax.” He said Anand and two of his siblings are regular swimmers.

The young man stated that the children would often be seen going far out into the water when the tide is low. However, on Sunday afternoon the tide was high.

He noted that residents would often tell the children not to go so far out but they would ignore their warnings.

Up to press time, residents were still searching for the missing boy.