A 15-month old was drowning in the family pool. Her 7-year-old sister took charge.
A 15-month-old toddler is in serious condition after her 7-year-old sister found her drowning in the pool.
The family was in the backyard with a few friends. They went inside for dinner and left the sliding glass door slightly open, according to the Clearwater Police Department.
The toddler saw the open door and made her way outside. She then fell into the pool.
When the family noticed she was missing, they went outside to search for her, according to the department’s public information officer. That’s when her older sister saw her in the pool and pulled her up.
“They’re devastated,” Lt. Michael Wallace told the Miami Herald.
They called police and tried CPR. The girl was taken to St. Joseph Children’s Hospital in Tampa, where she remains in critical condition.
Police are investigating but they believe it was an accident.
This is the second pool-related child drowning to happen in the area this month, according to Wallace.
“It happens more often than it should,” Wallace said.
Earlier in the month, a 3-year-old boy crawled up the stairs of an above ground pool and drowned, he said.
The city has been trying to decrease the risk of children drowning and has partnered with its parks and recreation office this summer to offer affordable swim classes for children after receiving a donation from the Long Center Foundation.
The classes are $10 for eight sessions. Those interested in enrolling or learning more about the program can click here.
Parents who are struggling financially can contact the city and request a fee waiver, according to Wallace. The city grants them on a case-by-case basis.
This story was originally published July 24, 2019 at 12:49 PM.
