A coroner has urged authorities to establish regulations for the fencing of residential ponds following the drowning of a toddler in Victoria, Australia, in 2022.
The incident occurred when the boy’s grandmother was in the bathtub while his parents were at work.
According to the findings of the coroner’s office, the boy’s grandmother was in the bathroom from 11.50 am until 12.20 pm.
The boy was able to enter the fishpond unsupervised due to the house’s sliding door being left unlocked.
His grandmother discovered him face down in the pond at around 12.20 pm.
Emergency services were then called to the scene, but the child was pronounced dead at around 1.32 pm.
The pond measured 61 centimeters deep and had an uneven bottom. It was made from timber and was surrounded by plants and rocks.
The  coroner for Victoria noted that water features such as this don’t require permits and aren’t required to have safety barriers.
According to the deputy state coroner, it’s important that the building authority of Victoria requires safety barriers around fishponds since children can easily drown in small pools of water.
She noted that fish ponds are very attractive and could be found in a child’s backyard.
There needs to be additional fencing and safety requirements around these types of ponds in the state.
The coroner also urged the building authority to consider implementing regulations that would require fishponds to be designed and built in a way that would minimize the risk of accidents involving children.