WHAT was supposed to be the enrollment day of an 11-year-old girl turned into tragedy after her body was found floating in a creek in Sitio Kanipaan, Barangay Basak, Mandaue City, early Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
The victim, identified as Erica Cabatingan, a resident of nearby Sitio Alliance in the same barangay, was set to enroll in Grade 5 on Tuesday for the upcoming school year.
Erica was reported missing by her family the day before.
According to her mother, Ruberosa Cabatingan, the girl was last seen around 6 a.m. on Monday, June 9, after helping her aunt dispose of a broken chair to be weighed as junk. She never made it home.
When Erica failed to return by midday, her family began searching for her and posted about her disappearance on Facebook.
The search continued late into the evening. It was only the next morning that a neighbor suggested checking the nearby creek.
There, at around 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday, the family’s worst fears were confirmed when her body was found floating in the water.
Seizures
Her mother believes Erica may have suffered a seizure, a condition the girl had lived with while walking near the creek on her way home.
“She went with her aunt to help throw away a broken chair to be weighed as junk. That was the last time we saw her, around six in the morning,” Cabatingan said in Cebuano.
She said Erica began having seizures in December.
During previous episodes, family members would hold and comfort her until she recovered.
After incidents at school and at home, they had advised her not to go out frequently.
“Maybe that’s where it happened because that area by the river is where her usual contacts are the people there are decent. I don’t suspect anyone,” Erica’s mother added.
Erica, the fourth of seven siblings, was remembered as a thoughtful and generous daughter.
According to the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO), they received information about the incident at around 7 a.m. and immediately responded.
MCPO spokesperson Lt. Col. Mercy Villaro said a worker walking along the road beside the river was the first to see the girl’s body, which was face down in the water.
The worker then called for help from nearby residents.
Villaro said investigators are still looking into the incident and are interviewing residents to determine if anyone witnessed what had happened.
Police are recommending an autopsy to help determine the exact cause of death.
Authorities are also considering the girl’s medical condition.
“All information, especially from direct relatives like the mother and father, whatever details they provide to us at the PNP, we will take everything into consideration,” said Villaro.
Instead of going to school to have her enrolled, Erica’s family is now preparing for her funeral — a devastating turn of events on the day that was supposed to mark a new beginning. / CAV, Zenn Dee Tejero, CNU Intern