An Australian couple are going through unthinkable grief after their baby boy died after drowning in a swimming pool during a family holiday in Bali.
Brendan Sharp shared the gut wrenching update on Facebook, describing his son Khyden James as a ‘one of a kind’ child who filled every room with laughter and light.
‘Khyden was always happy and cheerful, lighting up the room with whomever was there,’ he said.
‘His cheekiness and affection were like no other, and he was always dancing and having fun with a side of cheeky.’
Brendan and wife Grace took their family of six from Singleton, in the New South Wales Hunter Valley, for a dream getaway to Bali when Khyden died in the pool at Villa Besar, in North Kuta.
Brendan added that Khyden was ‘the best baby brother’ his three older siblings ‘could have asked for and the best son we could have ever imagined’.
‘You were so special my boy – keep shining like the star you are and keep an eye on all of us down here,’ he said.
A spokesperson for Bali police Jansen Avitus Panjaitan told Daily Mail Australia the the incident was not reported to the police.
Brendan Sharp (pictured right) shared the gut wrenching update on Facebook , describing his son Khyden James as a ‘one of a kind’ child who filled every room with laughter and light.
Khyden James died in a tragic accident during a family holiday to Bali at a villa’s swimming pool
Mr Panjaitan explained that officers found out details of the tragedy by interviewing resort staff.
A woman alerted hotel staff and requested an ambulance around 7.15pm on October 19, he said.
Staff reported that the family had returned to the villa from a water park shortly before the alarm was raised.
Initially, hotel staff had trouble reaching an ambulance, which eventually arrived at 8.30pm. The child’s body was then transported to the hospital, arriving at 9.00pm.
The villa the family stayed at has a large swimming pool, that does not appear to be fenced off.
It’s understood the family had visited Waterbom, a popular waterpark, earlier in the day.
The family is now back in Australia and working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to bring Khyden home.
Khyden’s aunt, Bronwyn Cox, started a GoFundMe to assist his parents with funeral costs and other expenses.
She said the little boy ‘brought immense joy and love into all our lives, and his passing has left us all in profound grief’.
‘During this incredibly difficult time, Grace and Brendan face not only emotional pain but also financial strain,’ she said.
Ms Cox started the fundraiser to help with the unexpected costs to bring the baby’s body home, the funeral and the need for time off work.
‘We are raising funds to help Grace and Brendan with these expenses and to give them the space to grieve without additional stress,’ she wrote.
The aunt thanked those who had already donated and said their ‘generosity will provide much-needed relief and show Grace and Brendan that they are not alone through this difficult journey’.
The campaign has so far raised more than $30,000, almost reaching the overall goal of $35,000.
