Kentucky 2-year-old dies after drowning in a family pool, police say
A 2-year-old girl died Wednesday evening after a drowning incident that occurred six days prior, according to Kentucky State Police.
The incident happened sometime before 9 p.m. on June 16 at a family pool in Dry Ridge. State police said the 911 caller advised a 2-year-old was found in a pool unresponsive and life saving measures were being conducted by the family.
The child was eventually taken to a local hospital, where a pulse was detected, according to state police. The girl was then flown to University of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where she died six days later.
No foul play was suspected, according to state police. The incident is under investigation.
It’s not the only recent case of a child drowning in Kentucky. In June 15 a 23-month-old child in Laurel County died as a result of a drowning. WKYT, the Herald-Leader’s news-reporting partner, reported it was the second drowning in Laurel County this year.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the leading cause of death minus birth defects for children ages 1 to 4 is drowning. It’s the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 1 to 14 minus motor vehicle accidents.
The CDC said most of the child drownings happen at swimming pools. The CDC says 3,960 children die every year from drowning.
Lexington Emergency Management has tips on how to keep children safe in or around pools.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated after Kentucky State Police clarified the child who drowned was 2 years old.
This story was originally published June 23, 2022 at 11:06 AM.
