Hapless dad unable to save girl
The Star 01/08/2005 BY BEH YUEN HUI

Bianca’s leg was trapped causing the girl to drown just a day shy of her birthday bash.

PETALING JAYA: It was supposed to have been Bianca Thio Yee Shen’s eighth birthday party yesterday, but family and friends turned up for her funeral instead.

Bianca, who had been swimming since three, drowned on Saturday in the swimming pool of the Kelana Mahkota condominium where she lived.

Her left leg got trapped in a drainage hole at the 1.2m end of the pool, gripping her in a vice so strong that four men failed to pull her free.

They only managed to dislodge her when a security guard switched off the power 10 minutes later.

Her father Thio Sedg Lai administered CPR on the girl when she was brought out of the water.

Failing to revive her, Thio rushed his daughter to the nearby Kelana Jaya Medical Centre but it was too late.

The Year Two pupil of SRJK Yuk Chai and her family moved into the condominium in Kelana Jaya here just two months ago.

They were swimming with about 20 other condominium residents in the pool when tragedy struck about 6pm.

Thio said he heard shouts from the other pool users that a girl was trapped underwater. He realised to his horror that it was his daughter and went to her rescue.

Bianca's mother left inconsolable

“She was a good swimmer. Moreover, she stood a head above the water level,” said Thio, 38, who is a manager of a courier firm.

“I never expected such a thing to happen. A few minutes earlier, she was playing with me and all of a sudden, I lost her – in my own hands.

“Today (Sunday) we are supposed to hold an early celebration for her birthday, which falls on Thursday,” said Thio when met at the funeral service.

Her mother Salina Chang, who was clutching her three-year-old daughter Celeste, was so devastated that she fainted several times.

Thio said Bianca was a happy child and talented in art, having won several competitions. Two bags of her drawings will be cremated with her today.

Meanwhile, some of the condominium residents said they were now too terrified to let their children go into the pool, until it could be certified safe.

The condominium management could not be reached for comment.