Mum Hoai Doan, two kids age 5 & 7 drowned in Sydney River
A young family has been left devastated after the drowning deaths of a mother and her two young children, left a father to raise their youngest child alone.
NSW Police have recovered 3 bodies following a search and rescue operation in Georges River in Sydney’s south west.
Emergency services were called to a boat ramp in Floyd Bay, Shearer Park off Hollywood Drive, Lansvale, shortly before 10.15am on Saturday 19 October 2024, following reports a woman and two children were seen in the water in distress.
Members of the public attempted to assist the woman and children until emergency services arrived.
A short time later a woman, Hoai Doan, aged 32 —was pulled from the water; however she was unable to be revived.
Officers attached to Fairfield City Police Area Command, assisted by Marine Area Command, PolAir and SES, conducted an extensive land and water search.
About 2pm, the bodies of a girl, Hazel Nguyen aged 5, and a boy, Mitchell Nguyen aged 7, were recovered from the water.
Police believe the current was very strong when the trio fell into the water, with rain, wind, and a “number of environmental factors” affecting the search efforts.
Friend Sarah Vu —set up an online fundraiser GoFundMe to support Ms Nguyen’s partner and their one-year-old child with funeral costs, it had raised over $28,000 of a $40,000 target as of 5.00pm on Sunday.
“I am fundraising on behalf of Hoai (32), Mitchell (7) and Hazel (5) and Macario (1),” the page stated. “We hope to raise funds to aid the funeral and to assist the father to look after young Macario in this time of grief.”
The family part was well-known in the Vietnamese community around Fairfield. She urged her followers to contribute to the GoFundMe.
Police have established a crime scene, with investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident are ongoing to understand how the mother and her children ended up in the water.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Fairfield Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
