The mum of a toddler who fell into a river has spoken of her heartbreak over her son’s death. Xielo Maruziva was walking along a towpath of the River Soar, Leicestershire, when he fell into the water in February.
A huge search was launched but the two-year-old’s body was only discovered last week – more than three months after he went missing. His mum Kayela Smith said she was in a ‘situation no parent wishes to find themselves in’.
A GoFundMe page was launched to raise money for Xielo’s funeral. The mum said she wanted to give her son ‘the send-off he deserves’.
She said: “This is a situation no parent wishes to find themselves in especially when your child is at such a young age. As a family, we are heartbroken due to his tragic loss.
“It is hard to describe the pain and suffering we are all going through. Xielo was only two with such a bright and promising future ahead of him whose life has been taken away from us so soon.
“Xielo will never be forgotten.” The mum added: “Xielo was a cheeky, friendly, smart, caring and independent little boy. He never failed to make us laugh or smile. He loved playing with his toys, watching cartoons including Bino and Fino.”
Xielo was walking next to the River Soar at Aylestone Meadows when he fell into the water at about 5pm on Sunday, February 18, LeicestershireLive reports. It prompted a search described as one of the most complex Leicestershire Police had ever faced.
The search was scaled back on Thursday, March 21. Xielo’s body was not found until Wednesday,
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