Manjit Singh died attempting to rescue Samantha Cruz Pedro from drowning, Reedley, California, August 5, 2020. In the Kings River off a city beach, Samantha, 8, struggled to swim as she separated from a group of children in her party and the swift current carried her downstream. There were no lifeguards on duty. Among those on the beach who were alerted by calls to help multiple children, Singh, 31, farmer, a non-swimmer, entered the river and removed and unwrapped his turban to extend as a lifeline as he advanced into water up to his neck. Shortly, he submerged and onlookers lost sight of him. Others safely removed another girl, who was not seriously injured, from the river downstream, while a man on a one-person watercraft located Samantha facedown and helped to pass her to first-responders on the bank. Samantha was taken to a hospital, where she died six days later. After about 50 minutes, Singh was recovered, unresponsive, downstream. Attempts to revive Singh were unsuccessful; he had drowned.
91258-10357Manjit Singh
Fresno, CA