JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 2-year-old girl drowned Friday in a pool in the backyard of a home on Quan Drive in the Hillcrest area of Jacksonville’s Westside, police said.
Police and paramedics were called to the home between Cassat Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard around 12 p.m.
Paramedics rushed her to the hospital, but she didn’t survive.
Sgt. Joshua Catir with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit said at least one parent and a couple of children were at the home at the time, but investigators are still looking into that and trying to find out what happened. He said no charges are pending at this time.
He said he couldn’t speak to this specific case but had some general advice for parents.
“It is summertime and kids like to play in the water. Monitor your children when they’re outside. Don’t think somebody else is doing it. Monitor them yourself,” Catir said.
According to News4JAX records, the girl was the 10th child to drown this year in our area. Five of those drownings have been in pools.
Catir said these cases are always difficult.
“As an officer, but more importantly, as a father, it’s really heartbreaking,” he said.