(Breaking news) 19-month-old drowns in backyard pool

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

A toddler drowned last night after climbing up a ladder into an above-ground pool at his home in White Plains, according to police.

The boy's mother called authorities at about 8:30 p.m. to report her son missing, but found the 19-month-old in the backyard pool before police arrived at the Middletown Road home, according to Diane Richardson, spokeswoman for the Charles County Sheriff's Office.

The child was unresponsive and was taken to Civista Medical Center in La Plata, where he was pronounced dead, Richardson said.

Before the accident, the mother had gone out and left the toddler with his 15-year-old cousin, who might not have known that he was supposed to watch the child, according to Richardson. The toddler was asleep in his room, and his cousin left the home to go fishing, Richardson said.

When the mother returned home, she couldn't find her young son, and the teen didn't know of the toddler's whereabouts. They began searching for the 19-month-old and called police, Richardson said.

brodgers@somdnews.com