A two-year-old girl has died after falling into a stream in Middelkerke in West Flanders.
Local police were alerted at around 07:00 on Tuesday about the child who was reported missing.
Initial findings suggest the toddler left her home for reasons currently unknown.
Emergency services began a search near Molenstraat, and at 8:40, the fire brigade discovered the girl in a nearby stream.
She was pulled from the water and resuscitation efforts were made on-site.
The girl was subsequently taken to the hospital in critical condition but passed away shortly after.
The Bruges branch of the West Flanders Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation to determine the circumstances of the incident.
Early findings indicate the incident was an accident.
