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Toddler who drowned in the Hawkesbury was from family on yacht trip around Australia

So tragic. - by Riah Matthews
  • 11 Jul 2019

A little girl who found floating in the Hawkesbury river on Tuesday has been named as three-year-old Zeinobiyah Soetekouw.

Known affectionately as 'Zobbie' she was part of a family of 13 who were travelling around Australia on a yacht.

Toddler who drowned in the Hawkesbury was from family on yacht trip around Australia
(Left) The family on their yacht and (right) Zeinobiyah Soetekouw. CREDIT: Facebook.

The toddler was found floating in the water off Dangar Island, near Brooklyn on Tuesday (9 July) afternoon.

Paramedics rushed to the scene to treat the child, who was then airlifted to Westmead Hospital, Sydney, in critical condition.

She was pronounced dead on arrival.

xx

Paramedics at the scene on Tuesday.

Seven News.

It's now emerged that Zobbie was part of a self-titled 'hippy' family who were documenting their trip around on Australia on their Facebook page. 

Three years ago her parents Beccie and Steve left Tasmania and set sail on their 33-year-old 13m yacht 'Sumbawa' where they lived, played and travelled together.

As well as Zobbie, the couple had  Natasha, 15, Blade, 14, Ryan, 12, Nakita, 11, Alec, 10, Hunter, 8, Amlayah, 7, Yasha, 5, Azanyah, 4, and one-year-old Shakirah.

xxx

The Soetekouw family in an image from their facebook page.

Facebook.

On Tuesday the boat was moored at the Hawkesbury River when the toddler was found dead in the water about 100m away. It's alleged she'd been floating there for around 20 minutes. 

Her mum Beccie was said to be ashore when Zobbie went missing. 

Paramedics arrived at the scene and she was airlifted to hospital, but she later died.

In a post on the family's blog, Our Round the World Adventure, the little girl is described as 'Miss independent'.

'She won’t be helped when she can do it herself. #socapable,' the blog says about her.

An investigation has been launched and a report will be prepared for the Coroner. 

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Riah Matthews
Riah Matthews
Riah Matthews is the Deputy Editor for that’s life! She started her journalism career in the UK at the Nottingham Post before moving to Australia and working on that's life! and the podcast How I Survived. Her work has also been published in the Daily Mail, Chat, Woman, Pick Me Up, Take a Break, Real People and on Newidea.com.au

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