7-year-old boy found dead after falling into river through damaged riprap in QC

A seven-year-old boy was found dead in Quezon City after he fell into the Dario River through a damaged riprap while he was playing with a kite on Monday.

In a “24 Oras” report by James Agustin on Tuesday, the incident happened around 6 p.m. on July 6, 2026 in Barangay Bahay Toro in Quezon City.

According to the victim’s mother, her son had just arrived home from school and immediately took a bath after getting soaked by the heavy rain, adding that she even saw her son go outside.

“Pagliko ko diyan sa may kanto namin, nakita ko pa [ang] anak ko. Sabi ko, ‘Joe, halika na, uwi na tayo, umaambon.’ Akala ko sumunod, hindi rin,” said Rea Asuncion, the victim’s mother.

“Hindi pa ako nakakaupo doon sa itaas, nilapag ko lang ‘yung dalahin ko maya-maya may sumigaw na ‘yung anak ko nalaglag sa ilog. Tumakbo na ako,” she added.

(When I turned the corner near our place, I saw my son. I said, ‘Joe, come on, let’s go home, it’s drizzling.’ I thought he followed me, but he didn't. I hadn't even sat down upstairs—I had just put my things down—when someone suddenly shouted that my son had fallen into the river. I immediately ran.)

According to Asuncion, she saw his son playing with a kite before the incident.

In his report, Agustin noted that the water level at the river was high at that time due to the recent heavy downpour.

“Ang kwento lang ng mga bata, nadulas daw siya kasi nalaglag ‘yung sinulid niya, so inaabot niya, dumiretso siya pero nakahawak pa raw siya sa may punong maliit nanghihingi ng saklolo,” Asuncion said.

(The other kids told me that he slipped because his kite’s thread fell and he was trying to reach for it. He went straight in, but they said he was still holding onto a small tree, crying for help.)

According to barangay officials, the portion of the river's riprap where the boy fell was destroyed by a typhoon last year. They added that the barangay has not been remiss in reminding residents, especially during the rainy season.

“Nung nasira siya nirequest namin kasama yung mga residente doon nagrequest kami sa local government sa mmda so meron na rin nagsukat doon so alam ko ginagawa na rin siya,” Bahay Toro Barangay Captain Medi Alcantara said.

(When it got destroyed, we requested—along with the residents there—we requested the local government and the MMDA. Someone already went there to measure it, so I know it's already being worked on.)

On Monday evening, the Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (QCDRRMO) and the Bureau of Fire Protection conducted a surface search along the San Francisco-Del Monte River in the areas of Barangays Masambong and Damayan, which are connected to the Dario River.

Around 1 a.m. on Tuesday, the search operation of personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard and QCDRMO continued.

Two personnel from the PCG even scoured the river, accompanied by the victim's father and other relatives.

After an almost 12-hour search operation, the victim’s remains were found in the San Juan River in Barangay Apolonio Samson on Tuesday morning. A caretaker of the land near the river said a garbage collector spotted the body.

“Itinawag sa akin ng mangangalakal, ‘Tay, may patay dito sa ilog’ sabi niya. Sinikwat niya ng kahoy, nakita ko tao nga. Sabi ko ‘diyan ka lang kasi tatawag ako sa barangay kasi kagabi hinahanap na namin 'yan,’” said Nilido Villamor, the caretaker.

(A scavenger called out to me and said, ‘Tay, there’s a dead body here in the river.’ He poked it with a stick, and I saw that it was indeed a person. I told him, ‘Just stay there because I’m going to call the barangay; we’ve been looking for that boy since last night.’)

“Andoon ‘yan sa tubig kanina eh inahon ng mangangalakal tapos tinabunan,” Villamor added in the report.

(The body was in the water earlier, then the scavenger pulled it out and covered it.)

The Quezon City Police District Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit continues to investigate the incident.—Lyjah Tiffany Bonzo/LDF, GMA News