Brookline

4-Year-Old Boy Drowns in Brookline Pool on Memorial Day

Brookline police say this appears to be an unfortunate accident, however it remains under investigation at this time

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A 4-year-old boy drowned at a pool in Brookline, Massachusetts, on Memorial Day, police announced.

According to Brookline police, the boy was swimming with several children in the pool when the drowning happened, and several adults were "in very close proximity."

First responders were called to the Prescott Street home after the little boy was found unresponsive in the water around 4:40 p.m. Monday, police said.

An adult who was at the home began performing CPR on the child, with phone guidance from a police dispatcher. Lifesaving efforts were then continued by emergency personnel, and the boy was taken to Boston Children's Hospital where he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival, police said.

According to Brookline police, this appears to be an "unfortunate accident," however it remains under active investigation at this time by Brookline detectives, Massachusetts State Police and the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office.

Police said no further information identifying the child or his family will be released, as the department wishes to respect the privacy they've requested in this "unfortunate and difficult time."

"For so many of us, Memorial Day weekend marks the start of summer, and this tragedy serves as an important reminder that drowning can happen in a matter of seconds, and it’s often silent, not the way it’s depicted in the movies or on television," Brookline police said in a statement.

The statement went on to say that more children ages 1–4 die from drowning than any other cause of death except birth defects, and for children ages 1–14, drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury death after motor vehicle crashes.

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