'Miracle' Baby Dies After River Fall

The 'miracle' baby girl who was first pronounced dead after falling into the River Thames and was then discoverd to have a faint heartbeat, has died.

The 10-month-old baby lost her battle for life just after midnight despite doctors finding a faint heartbeat, after being initially declared deceased, when she was airlifted to hospital.

Sergeant Graham Pink, of Thames Valley Police said the child was first pronounced dead at the John Radcliffe Hospital but soon after, he said "a very faint heartbeat was discovered".

"The initial report was that the child had died. We put a statement out saying the child was dead and we would not have done that unless we had been told she was dead," he said.

However, the baby's condition had been described by doctors as "critical".

This morning Thames Valley Police issued the statement: "The baby who was involved in an incident in Goring today has died in hospital.

"Police were contacted by staff at the JR2 Hospital in Oxford reporting that the 10-month-old girl had passed away."

Emergency teams had been called to the scene at about 9.45am following reports that a young child had fallen into the river at Ferry Lane, in Goring, south Oxfordshire.

The BBC has reported that the child fell from a towpath and a boat was used in the rescue.

Sergeant Pink confirmed that a man in a boat was understood to have seen the baby and jumped in to save her.

The Oxford Mail has quoted the man as saying: "I helped get the baby out of the water and on to the bank. My thoughts and prayers are with the baby and her family."

Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue said they were made aware that one adult and two children "had been pulled from the river by a passer-by".

A spokesperson said that "the circumstances leading up to the incident are unclear".

The mother and another child, who were found on the riverbank, were also taken to hospital as a precautionary measure.

It is reported that the accident happened after the mother, daughter and sister has been feeding ducks.

A witness, from Goring said that he heard "a baby was in a buggy being pushed by the mother and it was blown into the river by strong winds".

It is reported that the river is about half a mile downstream from pop star George Michael's house.

See: Miracle Toddler In Thames Accident Alive

(DS)