Boy in critical condition after near-drowning in Irvine
May 6, 2015
By ALMA FAUSTO / STAFF WRITER
A boy is in extremely critical condition Wednesday night after his father found him unresponsive in their backyard pool in Irvine.
At around 4:45 p.m., authorities were called to the house in the 90 block of Canyon Creek where the boy, between 5 and 7 years old, was pulled from the water not breathing, said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi.
The Wednesday incident marks the fourth drowning call this week; all of them involved children.
"Our hearts are breaking for these four families this past week," Concialdi said.
The pool did not have a fence around it and the boy was reportedly alone at the time, which is what fire officials have said heightens the risk of drownings, especially in areas where there are children.
First responders performed CPR on the boy and managed to get a pulse back. He was taken to Hoag Hospital in Irvine where he is in extremely critical condition.
Concialdi said that the boy would possibly later be transferred to Children's Hospital of Orange County in Orange.
On Monday, a 2-year-old girl died under the same circumstances. Her mother found her unconscious in their pool in Coto de Caza.
Just days before on Saturday, two toddlers were critically injured in near-drownings, also in Orange County backyard pools.
Concialdi said all children should be taught to swim and all parents should know CPR.
"We need to stop this trend before it gets worse. We?re not even into our summer months and we?re already into our 16th drowning call of the year, eight of those have been fatal."
May 6, 2015
By ALMA FAUSTO / STAFF WRITER
A boy is in extremely critical condition Wednesday night after his father found him unresponsive in their backyard pool in Irvine.
At around 4:45 p.m., authorities were called to the house in the 90 block of Canyon Creek where the boy, between 5 and 7 years old, was pulled from the water not breathing, said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi.
The Wednesday incident marks the fourth drowning call this week; all of them involved children.
"Our hearts are breaking for these four families this past week," Concialdi said.
The pool did not have a fence around it and the boy was reportedly alone at the time, which is what fire officials have said heightens the risk of drownings, especially in areas where there are children.
First responders performed CPR on the boy and managed to get a pulse back. He was taken to Hoag Hospital in Irvine where he is in extremely critical condition.
Concialdi said that the boy would possibly later be transferred to Children's Hospital of Orange County in Orange.
On Monday, a 2-year-old girl died under the same circumstances. Her mother found her unconscious in their pool in Coto de Caza.
Just days before on Saturday, two toddlers were critically injured in near-drownings, also in Orange County backyard pools.
Concialdi said all children should be taught to swim and all parents should know CPR.
"We need to stop this trend before it gets worse. We?re not even into our summer months and we?re already into our 16th drowning call of the year, eight of those have been fatal."
They had 4 kids in their backyard pool with no adult supervision.