Toddler Passes Away in Accidental Deltona Pool Drowning

A toddler tragically died after being pulled out of a backyard pool in Deltona last week, the Volusia Sheriff's Office announced. The incident occurred on Monday, June 15 with details being confirmed by law enforcement on Friday. The victim was a 17-month-old boy, the VSO says. The pool was in the backyard of a residence in the 400 block of Leland Drive. Emergency responders were contacted after the boy's mother reportedly found him face-down in the pool. The family was said to have been preparing to drive to the beach. Upon discovering her son, the mother was said to have pulled him out of the water. She began to administer CPR until responders arrived. Paramedics and VSO deputies responded to take over life-saving measures. The VSO says the mother estimated three minutes passed between when she last saw her son and when she found him floating. She said it was possible he slipped through a sliding glass door that was left open on accident. After emergency response personnel arrived on-scene, the toddler was taken to a hospital in Orange City. He was later transferred to another facility in Orlando. Treatment carried on for days. On Thursday, sadly, the boy was taken off life support. The VSO does not suspect foul play, the agency said in its Friday announcement. The cause of death is believed to have been an accidental drowning. Ways to Prevent Tragedy According to the Children Safety Network, children account for one in four drowning deaths each year in the United States. Of the 945 average annual instances from 2010 to 2014, 48% were infants ages zero to four. The bathtub is the most common place for drownings at under one year old, while home swimming pools are the top location with ages one to four. "Drowning is a leading cause of death for young children, despite it being a preventable tragedy. To prevent drowning, multiple layers of protection are recommended like pool safety barriers, constant supervision, swim lessons, and CPR among others," said infant aquatic survival instructor Brielle Goldberg. "Pool safety barriers like door alarms and fences may prevent a child from accessing water, but if a child makes it to the water, knowing how to roll over and float could save their life." The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) also stresses the importance of fencing, life jackets, and knowledge of CPR. Still, many child drownings may only be prevented by teaching critical skills early. "As a survival swim instructor, I can't stress enough the importance of starting survival swim lessons at a young age, as early as 6 months old," Goldberg continued. "All it takes are seconds for a child to find water & fall in. Drowning doesn't look like the movies, you won't hear splashing or yelling for help. One of the most important lifesaving skills you can give your children is teaching them to roll over to float."