Teen drowns in Pangasinan river after friend’s prank turns tragic

• A 15-year-old boy drowned in the Old Mangaldan River in Pangasinan after being playfully tickled by a friend, causing him to lose grip and fall into the water
• The victim's grandmother, Lucresia Lozada, expressed deep grief, saying, “Palagi kong sinasabi sa kanya na umiwas na siya sa mga barkada niya kasi makulit ang apo ko, pero kahit ganun, mahal na mahal ko ang apo ko”
• Rescuers faced a difficult four-hour search due to the river’s strong current before recovering the boy’s body
• An 18-year-old friend of the victim will be charged with reckless imprudence resulting in h&micide for his involvement in the incident

A 15-year-old boy tragically drowned after falling into a river in Mangaldan, Pangasinan when a friend playfully tickled him, causing him to lose grip on a metal railing of a bridge.

According to Jasmin Gabriel-Galban's report on GMA Regional TV One North Central Luzon this Thursday, the incident happened on Wednesday night at the bridge over Old Mangaldan River, located in Sitio Baybay, Barangay Bantayan.

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Police investigations revealed that the victim was playing on the bridge with three friends. He was holding onto a metal railing when one of his companions joked around and tickled him.

“Nakakapit siya, kaya lang kiniliti, kaya ayun nahulog na siya,” a witness recounted.

The victim’s grandmother, Lucresia Lozada, who had raised him, was devastated by the incident.

“Palagi kong sinasabi sa kanya na umiwas na siya sa mga barkada niya kasi makulit ang apo ko, pero kahit ganun, mahal na mahal ko ang apo ko,” she tearfully said.

Rescue teams faced difficulty locating the boy’s body due to the river's strong current. After four hours of search and retrieval efforts, his body was eventually recovered.

Authorities confirmed that the 18-year-old friend who tickled the victim will face charges of reckless imprudence resulting in h&micide.

The tragic accident serves as a grim reminder of how a simple prank turned fatal, leaving a family grieving and a community in shock.

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Source: KAMI.com.gh