Published: June 11, 2008 02:21 pm         

Two year-old dies in pool

PICAYUNE — A two year-old child drowned in a residential pool Tuesday.

The incident was called in to the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department at about 1:17 p.m. yesterday reporting that a female child was found at the bottom of an above ground pool at 100 Jackson St., Carriere. Investigator Shane Tucker said emergency personnel and first responders arrived on scene and conducted CPR and took the child to Highland Community Hospital.

Further life saving procedures were attempted on the child, but the child was unable to be resuscitated, Tucker said.

Initial reports state that the cause of death is consistent with drowning. Pearl River County Coroner Derek Turnage said that the official autopsy report confirms that the cause of death is asphyxiation due to drowning. Tucker said no charges have been pressed at this time.

The incident appeared to have begun when the child stepped out of sight for a short time and entered the above ground pool. The mother of the child attempted to locate her child and found her at the bottom of the pool, Tucker said.

Parents with small children might want to keep a close eye on them, especially if a pool is nearby.

“Don’t let them out of your sight. Especially for those people who have pools. Use some measure of protection to keep them out of the pools, especially young children,” Tucker said.