A trip to the park turned into tragedy for a Miami-Dade family this weekend when a 3-year-old girl drowned in a lake in Hialeah.
The family of Malaysia Dantzler spoke to NBC6 on Monday as they made her funeral arrangements.
"A part of me will forever be gone, but I know that that’s my personal angel now," said the girl's grandmother, Latoya Williams.
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Dantzler was Williams' only grandchild. She described the little girl as an energetic toddler who was her entire world.
"Malaysia is and always will be my everything," Williams said. "Whether she’s here physically or spiritually, she’s my everything."
On Saturday, the toddler was at a birthday party with her godmother at Amelia Earhart Park when she somehow got away.
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“Malaysia was with someone who, at that moment, her parents trusted to take care of her to be with her,” said her uncle, Nigil Wright said.
Miami-Dade Police say the woman alerted park rangers that Malaysia was missing. The child was later found in the water unresponsive, according to investigators.
Crews performed CPR on the girl and rushed her to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Investigators said the death was accidental.
“As a family, we’re all probably stuck in that first stage of denial,” Wright said. “Has this really happened and is this really something we’re going through?”
Family members said the 3-year-old was non-verbal. They want others to know about the importance of teaching water safety to children with special needs, and say it’s important for adults to be on alert whenever kids are near water.
“Making sure that you keep your eyes on children regardless if they’re your children,” Wright said. “If you’re responsible for them, it’s your responsibility.”
The family will hold a memorial for Malaysia at the park on Wednesday. A GoFundMe was created to assist the family.
