Police Commissioner Col Blanch thanks fitness class members who saved boy from drowning by father in Dampier

WA’s top cop has thanked the women’s fitness class who fought off a father allegedly trying to drown his five-year-old son in the ocean in Dampier from the “bottom of my heart”, saying there was “no doubt” their actions saved the little boy’s life. A 26-year-old man — who cannot be named for legal reasons — has been charged with attempted murder over the shocking alleged incident at about 6.15am on Monday. Police allege the man drove his car onto the beach in low tide before trying to drown his son in the ocean. A group of women in a fitness group exercising on the foreshore allegedly saw the ordeal unfolding and ran over to the boy’s aid, one of the women punching the father repeatedly to free the boy. It is understood she injured her hand in the process. Police Commissioner Col Blanch on Wednesday praised the women for their heroic actions. “Despite the obvious trauma that they would obviously encounter, despite their own personal safety, I have to commend everyone who saw danger and ran straight towards it,” he said. “That is normally the job of police and other emergency services, but these brave women in particular went there, and caused themselves injury, to protect the life of a young boy. “And I can only say thank you from the bottom of my heart. “To think that quickly, and to respond, particularly in that dangerous environment — wow — an amazing part of our community in Western Australia. That is why we should all be proud to live here.” Mr Blanch, asked if he believed the women saved the boy’s life, said: “Absolutely, there’s no doubt about it”. “In fact, they saw danger and ran towards it and did everything they could to protect that child,” he said. The accused father appeared in Karratha Magistrates Court on Tuesday from his hospital bed. He has been remanded in custody in a secure psychiatric facility to reappear later this month. As well as an attempted murder charge, he is facing charges of assault with intent to commission a crime, reckless driving and driving without a licence. His identity has been suppressed by the Court.