Emergency services were called to the home around 3:30 pm after Dion was found unresponsive. Despite immediate CPR efforts by his family and continued attempts by paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are investigating the circumstances, and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
Dion's aunt, Sue Longstaff, expressed the family's profound grief, describing him as a "happy go lucky adventurous little boy" and the event as a "family’s worst nightmare." She has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help with funeral expenses, which has already raised over $9,000.
This tragedy highlights a concerning trend in the Northern Territory, which, according to 2023-24 figures, has the highest drowning rate in Australia. The incident follows a spate of recent drownings in New South Wales over the Easter weekend, including nine-year-old Kaison Greaves, who died after getting trapped between rocks at a beach. Kaison's father described his son as an "adventurer, strong-willed and incredibly funny." These incidents prompted Steven Pearce, CEO of Surf Life Saving in New South Wales, to label the weekend as "horrendous."
Adding to the global concern, a four-year-old British boy also died last month in a hotel swimming pool in Tenerife, Spain. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is providing support to the family.
