Two-year-old dies in Northland from suspected drowning

An ambulance was called to a property at Dargaville today after a child was found unresponsive and later died from a suspected drowning.

A child is believed to have died from a suspected drowning in Dargaville today.

Emergency services were called to a property on Waihue Rd about 12.30pm after a report of the sudden death of a child. The child is understood to be two-years-old.

Police were alerted just before 12.30pm and the death is not being treated as suspicious.

There are no further details at this time and the death is likely to be passed on to the coroner for investigation.

It's understood that CPR was performed on the child.

If confirmed it will be the second suspected drowning in Northland this month.

Roxi Ansari, originally from South Carolina, is believed to have drowned in a spa pool in Whangārei on October 7 due to a medical episode. It's since emerged the 35-year-old youth worker was suffering from an undiagnosed brain tumour.

Sixteen people died in Northland waters last year, double the eight in 2018, with many more risking their lives.

Northland has 3200km of coastline and harbours, with no part of the region more than 40km from the coast.

There are also 10 harbours in the mix, making Northland a high-risk area for those trying to keep people safe in and on the water.