The search for a missing infant has entered its second day after the bodies of a 36-year-old woman and a toddler were pulled from the sea off Port MacDonnell, South Australia, on Monday.
Emergency services were called to a beach west of Port MacDonnell just after 11am local time, where a car was found with its engine still running. The woman and a toddler were later recovered from the water.
Police express grave concerns for baby
Superintendent Trent Cox said the baby, less than one year old, had been with the mother earlier that day. However, it remains unknown whether the baby was with her when she entered the water or when the car was abandoned.
“The baby is known to have been with the mother earlier that day but as to whether the baby was still with her when the vehicle was left, that’s open to speculation,” Cox said. “I honestly don’t know.”
While keeping an open mind, Cox said he does not “hold out great hope” for the baby. “The child is less than one year old. In any conditions, that would cause great concern about the child’s ability to survive, if not in the water.”
Search hampered by dangerous conditions
The search was suspended on Monday night due to hazardous conditions. Waves at Port MacDonnell were around five feet, with rough seas complicating rescue efforts. Water temperatures were 15C, and air temperatures 12C.
Police resumed the search on Tuesday, with Cox stating officers are determined “to find the missing child.” He added that the safety of emergency services and volunteers is a priority.
“The conditions were not easy for the waterborne assets, and I’m led to believe that (Tuesday) is not going to be an easy day either.”
Appeal for information
Police have released an image of a white Isuzu MU-X with South Australian registration S592 BJR, believed to belong to the woman. Anyone who saw the vehicle in Mount Gambier, Compton, or Port MacDonnell on Monday is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Cox described the incident as “tragic” for everyone involved. “I can’t imagine what the family are going through. It’s tragic for them. It’s an awful thing for emergency services and the community to have to deal with.”
