Woman Arrested After Allegedly Trying to Drown Self, 2 Children

A Port Hueneme woman with a history of domestic problems apparently tried to drown herself and her two children by holding them underwater early Wednesday morning in Channel Islands Harbor, authorities said.

A 40-year-old man, whom officials are calling a hero, rescued the family from a channel near his home after he heard the woman’s 9-year-old son meekly yelling for help.

Oxnard police are not speculating on the motive of the woman, a native of India who speaks very little English, but Sgt. Lee Wilcox ruled out the possibility that it was an accident. “I don’t know of any logical reason why they would be swimming in freezing cold water in January fully clothed,” he said.

Narinder Virk, 39, was arrested about noon on two counts of attempted murder of her son and 6-year-old daughter.

Officials said the husband had flown to India on Tuesday and has not been contacted.

Brian Wiggins, an ex-lifeguard, said he and his wife were sleeping near an open window when he heard a plaintive cry of help. He ran downstairs, leaped across two concrete docks and dove into the water.

“I grabbed the woman first, because she was the only one I saw.” He said he struggled to get her onto the dock. “Then my heart just dropped, because I looked back and saw the other two and, you know, I have kids the same age.”

Wiggins dove back into the water and grabbed the girl, who was floating face down. When he got her onto the dock, he checked for a pulse, which was weak, and performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Then he went back in the water and rescued the brother.

The girl was listed in stable condition Wednesday night at Northridge Hospital Medical Center. Her brother was treated at a hospital and released.