First picture of girl, 5, who died after falling into London canal

A missing five-year-old girl who died after falling into a canal in Islington has been named as Malika Hibu.

The young girl was found in a nearby canal just ten minutes after she was reported missing from her flat, with both officers and members of the public intervening to save her.

Her dad spoke of how Malika, whose name meant ‘princess’, was a ‘princess in name and in every way’.

The dad-of-four told the Islington Tribune his daughter was always smiling, loved to play in parks and would tease him about being an ‘old man’.

He said he had been nervous about living so close to Regent’s Canal and had warned his children about the waterway and told them not to play nearby.

Malika was pulled from the water and was given CPR before being transferred to hospital. But doctors were unable to save her and she passed away at around 7pm the same day, the Met Police confirmed.

A statement read: ‘At 4.13pm on Saturday, 17 February we received a report that a five-year-old girl was missing from her home in Wharf Road, N1. Officers responded and carried out a search of the area. At 4.24pm the girl was found in a nearby canal.

‘Officers and members of the public rescued her from the water and officers carried out CPR. Paramedics were called and the girl was taken to hospital where she sadly died at around 7pm that evening.

‘Her family have been informed and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time. Our enquiries are ongoing, however the circumstances are not believed to be suspicious.’

This is a developing news story, more to follow soon… Check back shortly for further updates.

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