2-year-old boy drowns after falling into uncovered manhole in China

A two-year-old child drowned in Shenzhen, China, after he fell into an uncovered manhole with over 1.5 metres of standing sewage water, near a convenient store.

According to the Shanghaiist, the two sewer drains near the convenient store was left uncovered because there was construction work going on.

Liu Chenrui, the toddler, fell into the manhole as a result.

The convenient store owner, Zhang, told reporters that the manholes were opened by management workers, but they did not place any board or notice to warn pedestrians that the manhole was open.

Liu had followed his grandaunt to get clean laundry in the area at 11.36am that day. He was captured on camera at 11.42am standing near the sewer, but then the camera finally turned back after a minute, he was missing.

Liu's grandaunt and store keeper Zhang soon realised that the toddler fell into the manhole, and both tried to get him out.

However, Liu had already stopped breathing by that time.

The management workers are being investigated by the police.

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