Man who found body of drowned boy in Kallang River says family can finally get closure

He may not have found much joy in finding what they set out for, but sadness and a sense of relief instead.

Muhammad Fazly Laily, 33, who led a small search party near the Kallang River last Thursday (Feb 26) night, described how they discovered the body of Muhammad Qayyim Daniel Putra Rosli, 13.

Daniel was fishing with a group of friends on Feb 25 when he fell into the Kallang River and went missing.

Fazly told Malay publication Berita Harian: "I do feel relieved. At least the boy's family is no longer wondering where he is. Otherwise, it would have been a pity for them to keep wondering."

Fazly, who works as a cleaner, said he had decided along with his family that they would join the ongoing search for Daniel after breaking fast.

Beginning at 9.30pm from Block 15 Upper Boon Keng Road, he said that they were searching for an hour before they spotted something floating in the water.

"We stopped and tried to take pictures, but we couldn't be sure whether it was the body of the deceased or not because it was very dark," he said, adding that the object looked like "a head and shoulders".

Nur Fatrishah Ahmad, 30, a member of the search party, also reported smelling something she couldn't quite put her finger on prior to seeing the object in the river.

Fazly then contacted the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) for assistance.

Daniel's body was subsequently retrieved from the waters by SCDF firefighters and the Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team.

He was pronounced dead at scene by an SCDF paramedic.

When asked if he had any final words for Daniel's family,  Fazly said: "I pray that they will continue to be given the strength and patience to face this test, especially in this holy month."

Daniel was buried at Lim Chu Kang Muslim Cemetery on Friday (Feb 27) afternoon.

His father, who is in prison, also attended the funeral.

Police officers escorted him into a room to view the body, but was taken away before the burial. 

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khooyihang@asiaone.com