Jana Bahvalova, 29, was pulled from the Bridgewater Canal in Altrincham last Wednesday morning, and the family have set up a GoFundMe to help with funeral costs and to support her daughters
A ‘devoted’ mother-of-two was tragically found dead in a canal after her family became concerned when she didn’t pick up her daughters from a childminder. Jana Bahvalova, 29, was described as a “quiet, kind and gentle soul” whose daughters were her “entire world”.
Police officers were called to Atlantic Street in Altrincham, Greater Manchester last Wednesday morning (December 10) after the body of a woman was found in the Bridgewater Canal.
She has now been named as 29-year-old Jana, who lived in the Birchwood area of Warrington. Her sister Diāna paid tribute to her as a ‘devoted’ mother who was a ‘quiet, kind and gentle soul’ in a statement to the Manchester Evening News.
Jana, who was a Latvian national, was employed as a hotel cleaner and had relocated to Birchwood earlier this year from Peterborough following the breakdown of a relationship, her sister revealed. The family realised she was missing two days prior, on December 8, when she had failed to collect her two daughters Adelina and Kate from their childminder
Diāna said: “After separating from her husband, she was raising her two daughters on her own. She loved cycling very much, which was something that brought her peace and happiness.
“We became aware that she was missing on December 8, when she did not arrive to pick up her daughters from the babysitter.”
The family is now fundraising to provide financial support for Jana’s family and to help cover funeral costs. In a heartfelt GoFundMe post, it was stated that Jana’s daughters were her ‘entire world’. Donations can be made online here.
The tribute from her sister read: “Her passing has deeply affected her family, friends, and all those who had the privilege of knowing her. Jana was a devoted mother to her two daughters, Adelina and Kate. She raised them on her own, always doing everything she could to provide a safe, loving and stable home.
“Jana worked as a hotel cleaner and was known for being hardworking, reliable and humble, never complaining even when life was challenging. Those who knew Jana remember her as a quiet, kind and gentle soul. Her daughters were her entire world, and everything she did was for them.”
She added: “Although Jana can no longer be by her daughters’ side, together we can help ensure they have the care, security and support they need moving forward.”
Emergency crews were seen by the waterway near Plantin Road and Atlantic Street in Broadheath last Wednesday.
A section of the canal towpath was cordoned off by police on Oldfield Road, with reports and images showing a specialist police unit conducting a search of the area. The body of a woman was subsequently retrieved from the water at approximately 8.30am.
In a statement issued on December 10, a spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: “Shortly before 8.30am on Wednesday 10 December 2025, officers were called to Atlantic Street, Altrincham to reports of a body in the water. Emergency services attended and sadly the body of a female has been recovered from the water.”
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