Tragedy has struck a Phoenix family Tuesday. A three-year-old girl has died after she was discovered in the families swimming pool.
According to Phoenix Fire officials, crews responded to a home near 19th Avenue and Thunderbird Road Tuesday after 4 p.m. for reports of a drowning. They found a young girl unconscious and not breathing. Paramedics immediately began life-saving measures and rushed her to the hospital.
She was later pronounced dead. It’s unclear how long she was underwater. The investigation remains ongoing.
Officials are reminding everyone on the importance of watching children around water. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death in children between the ages of 1 and 4 in the United States.
Be water wise and prepare your home correctly with these following suggestions:
- Surround your pool with four-sided isolation fencing with a self-closing and self-latching gate that is out of the reach of a child. An isolation fence reduces a child’s risk of drowning 83% compared to three-sided property-line fencing.
- For above-ground pools, secure, lock or remove steps, ladders and anything that can be used for access, such as outdoor furniture or toys, whenever the pool is not being actively supervised by an adult.
- Install a secondary barrier, such as door alarms and locks that are out of the reach of a child on all doors and windows with direct access to the pool or spa area and lockable covers.
Establish and Enforce Rules and Safe Behaviors
- Do not enter head first unless in a pool that has a safe diving area.
- Stay away from drains and other openings that cause suction.
- Swim with someone else, never alone.
- Only swim when supervised by a water watcher.
- Swim sober.
- Supervises must be without distractions, such as reading or talking on or using a cell phone.
- Know what to do in a water emergency – including how to help someone in trouble in the water safely, call for emergency help and CPR.
