‘Worst nightmare': 3yo's tragic drowning
The family of a three-year-old boy who died just weeks before his fourth birthday in an accidental drowning have shared their heartbreak at their loss.
Dion Robbins tragically drowned at his home in an outer Darwin suburb on Saturday after falling into the pool while trying to collect his toys.
Northern Territory police said they were called to the Palmerston home about 3.30pm after Dion was found unresponsive in his backyard.
He was pulled from the water and received CPR before police and ambulance crews arrived shortly after.
Emergency services continued CPR but Dion was pronounced dead at the scene.
Describing the incident as a 'family's worst nightmare', Dion's aunt Sue Longstaff started a GoFundMe to help them lay their 'adventurous' little boy to rest.
'There are no words to describe the pain of his loss, he was weeks away from celebrating (his) fourth birthday,' Ms Longstaff said. Dion Robbins drowned before his fourth birthday. Credit: NewsWire
'3-year old Dion, a happy go lucky adventurous little boy used a stool to reach the pool latch and let himself in to collect some toys and unfortunately fell into the pool.'
Dion's death has left the local community reeling, with the family's fundraiser passing $9000 by noon on Tuesday.
Ms Longstaff expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support on behalf of Dion's parents Chris Robbins and Amber Fennell and the rest of the family.
'The family is understandably devastated and would be forever grateful for any support their local community might be in a position to provide so that little Dion can be laid to rest respectfully,' she said.
Another aunt, Lizzie Robbins told the NT News that Dion was a 'caring and loving little boy'.
'Any room he walked into he made people smile and laugh,' Ms Robbins said.
'He had the most infectious laugh and loved his baby brother endlessly.
'They were the two amigos – always getting into mischief together.'
The incident comes as data from Royal Life Saving Australia (RLSA) reveals the Top End had the highest rate of drowning deaths per 100,000 people in 2023-24.
Of the five drowning deaths reported in the Northern Territory in the financial year, two occurred in swimming pools.
RLSA's national summer drowning toll shows the number of drowning deaths occurring in swimming pools across Australia doubled in 2025 compared with last summer, rising from 5 to 11 per cent.
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