What began as every parent’s worst nightmare ended with a two-year-old girl being pulled alive from a stormwater drain after being swept more than 100m through its fast-flowing waters.
Joslin Miggels was playing outside the yard in Kleinskool, Gqeberha on Monday afternoon when her mother, Bianca Miggels, 34, heard her frantic screams.
Joslin had fallen into a nearly two-metre-deep stormwater drain filled with running water.
As the water carried her along the drain, Miggels rushed to the scene, but her daughter had disappeared from sight.
The little girl somehow managed to crawl through the water-filled drain for more than 100m before reaching another drain.
By then, a large number of residents had gathered.
Miggels was so overwhelmed by what was happening that she was on the point of fainting as people tried to console her.
“I thought I was going to lose my baby,” she said.
“Knowing that the drains are filled with water, I thought she was going to drown.
“I am forever grateful to God for sparing Joslin’s life. Things could so easily have turned out for the worse.”
When Joslin finally reached the next drain, a resident pulled her out.
To the amazement of those who had gathered, the little girl was visibly unharmed — though she was soaking wet.
A relieved Miggels immediately ran to her daughter and hugged her.
Residents could hardly believe that the toddler had survived the journey through the water-filled drain without drowning or suffering serious injury.
Sindi Ibitoye-Nceka, an administrator in the parliamentary constituency office of the Dawid Stuurman region, was also quick on the scene and called an ambulance.
“The ambulance took ages to come and I decided to take her to the West End clinic. She was helped there immediately.
“Fortunately, there were no serious injuries and she did not consume too much water.
“She is such a tiny little girl and it is really a miracle that she survived the ordeal. The Lord really protected her.”
For Miggels, Joslin’s survival was nothing short of a miracle.
“There must be a reason why she is still alive and I am sure she will have a significant impact in life,” she said.
Miggels said the drains in the area were frequently opened by residents when it rained and that water regularly overflowed onto the streets.
According to her, the lid of the drain had not been replaced after the rain.
“The community was also wonderful. We stand together here in Kleinskool and Monday was just further proof of it,” she said.
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