Police and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment are investigating the drowning of a toddler on a Southland farm on Wednesday.
Emergency services were called to a farm near Mandeville shortly before 4pm on Wednesday after reports a young child had fallen into a hole containing water.
Police released the name of the boy yesterday. He was 2-year-old Charlie Aaron Unwin, of Mandeville.
Sergeant Greg Ballantyne, of Gore, said the boy had wandered off from the house while being looked after by an adult family member.
On noticing the toddler's absence, the relative searched the area and found the boy in the flooded hole a short time later.
He was taken to Dunedin Hospital, but attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.
Yesterday, police and a Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment investigator examined a rubbish hole on the Mandeville farm. The hole contained household rubbish and water from recent rain.
It was a short distance from the house, across a farm driveway, and was not fenced off.
Sgt Ballantyne said it was a tragedy for the family and community in the farming area.
The property's owner, Kelvin Reed, said the family who lived there worked for him on the 259ha dairy farm.
''It was a little boy. He wandered off and got into a rubbish hole with a bit of water in it,'' Mr Reed said.
''You know with kids - they've got no danger; they've got no fear. Water is an attraction.''
It had been raining steadily for the past few days, Mr Reed said.
The boy's father had been out working on another farm at the time and the boy was thought to have been at home with his mother and sister.
''It's obviously a shock. It always is with kids.''
Victim Support is working with the family, and offers from other community groups have also been received.
The family had requested privacy, Sgt Ballantyne said.
The death has been referred to the coroner while the police investigation continues.
- Additional reporting APNZ
