3-year-old slips away from home, drowns in pool

LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) - A 3-year-old wandered away from home on Tuesday, September 12, and was found unresponsive in a nearby aboveground pool, deputies say.

The 3-year-old girl was reported missing to the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office around 8:40 a.m.

The child’s family told deputies after reviewing home surveillance they realized the child managed to slip out the front door of the home in Rome Township.

The video shows the child playing on the front porch for a few minutes before leaving camera view.

Family members immediately began searching the area, but quickly notified the sheriff’s office after not locating the child.

Deputies arrived on the scene and requested aid from the Proctorville Fire Department and the Chesapeake Fire Department to search the area.

According to the sheriff’s office, a corporal heard someone scream for help while walking along a creek bank. When the corporal arrived in the backyard of the home, which is approximately a half mile from the child’s home, he witnessed one of the child’s family members carrying the child from an aboveground pool.

Officials report he began CPR and with assistance from of fire personnel, he was able to get water out of the child’s lungs.

Lawrence County EMS arrived on the scene and transported the child to the hospital.

The child died later in the evening, officials say.

The residence where the child was located also had security cameras.

These cameras show the child entering the backyard with her dog.

She goes up the stairs of the deck and then down the stairs to the pool.

She is seen playing in the water while on the steps of the pool for a few minutes before she gets away from the steps and goes underwater out of camera view, officials report.

“Our heartfelt sorrows go out to the family,” said Sheriff Jeff Lawless. “I want to commend my staff, and especially Cpl. Hamlin, as well as the Proctorville Fire Department and the Lawrence County EMS for their life-saving efforts in this situation.”

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