A 23-year-old woman working in Canada died in a drowning that was tragically livestreamed on her Facebook page.
Hellen Nyabuto died Aug. 18 while swimming at a hotel pool in Chatsworth, a township in Ontario. Her death is not considered suspicious, a spokesman for the Ontario Provincial Police said Wednesday.
Nyabuto, originally from Kenya, had posted a livestream video of herself at the outdoor pool, according to the Toronto Star, which viewed the video before Facebook removed it.
In the video, Nyabuto smiles at the camera before she goes for a swim in the shallow end. About three minutes into the video, she moves to the deep end of the pool, the newspaper reported. The video shows Nyabuto struggling in the water as she calls out for help, according to the Star. The video then goes silent.
It stops after hotel guests arrive at the pool and discover Nyabuto, the newspaper reported.
The Grey Bruce Ontario Provincial Police, the Chatsworth Fire Department and paramedics arrived at the hotel just before 6 p.m.
"An individual was removed from the water and pronounced deceased after life saving measures were unsuccessful," the Ontario Provincial Police said.
The agency noted that it was aware of the social media video and said Nyabuto's death remains under investigation.
Nyabuto's sibling, Enock Nyabuto, said on a verified GoFundMe page that Nyabuto was "full of life" and had a "warm smile and a charming heart."
Enock Nyabuto said everyone who met Hellen Nyabuto "had their spirits lifted," adding, "She was passionate about her work and she touched many hearts."
Alfonce Nyamwaya, a close friend, told the Star that Nyabuto was the breadwinner for her family in Kenya.
"She’s been supporting them, and it’s left a big gap," Nyamwaya said. "We need prayers. We need financial support."
The family is working to send her body to Kenya for a funeral service.
