By Tonya Alanez
Sun Sentinel
PEMBROKE PINES, Fla. — A 2-year-old boy was pulled from the deep end of a murky backyard pool during a Fourth of July gathering, authorities said.
The child wandered into the water without anyone noticing and was submerged in the “murky, opaque” water for an unknown amount of time, according to an incident report.
Paramedics were at the home in the Pines Village community within two minutes of the 7:12 p.m. call, said Officer Amanda Conwell, spokeswoman for the Pembroke Pines Police Department.
A relative pulled the child’s lifeless body from the water and administered CPR until rescuers arrived, she said.
The boy was hospitalized overnight at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood but died this morning.
“Despite all life-saving efforts, the child passed away early this morning,” Conwell said.
The drowning serves as a grim reminder that children and bodies of water can be a deadly combination.
“Florida has the unfortunate distinction of having the highest number of child drowning deaths in the nation,” Conwell said.
“If you have a pool, live near a lake, or are visiting a location with access to a large body of water make sure that your child is supervised at all times,” Conwell said.
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