PHOENIX — A 5-year-old boy who was rushed to the hospital Friday night after being pulled from a backyard pool in Phoenix has died, officials said.
First responders were called to a home in a neighborhood near 91st Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road at about 7 p.m. for reports of an injured child, according to the Phoenix Police Department.
The caller said a 5-year-old boy, identified as Bahazi Dhielo, had fallen into a pool at the home and was not breathing.
The family immediately began performing CPR on the boy after pulling him out of the pool. Phoenix police officers took over when they got to the home, and firefighters took over for the officers.
Dhielo was taken to Phoenix Children's Hospital, where he died.
After speaking with the family at the home, conducting an investigation and speaking with doctors at the hospital, Phoenix police say they do not believe there was any foul play involved in Dhielo's death.
The medical examiner's office is now conducting an investigation of its own.
Phoenix police say their investigation remains open.
This is a developing story.
Drowning Prevention Tips
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children between ages 1-4 aside from birth defects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three children die every day as a result of drowning. Here are some tips from the CDC on how to protect children around water:
Learn life-saving skills.
Everyone should know the basics of swimming (floating, moving through the water) and CPR.
Fence it off.
Install a four–sided isolation fence, with self–closing and self–latching gates, around backyard swimming pools. This can help keep children away from the area when they aren’t supposed to be swimming. Pool fences should be completely separate the house and play area from the pool.
Life jackets are a must.
Make sure kids wear life jackets in and around natural bodies of water, such as lakes or the ocean, even if they know how to swim. Life jackets can be used in and around pools for weaker swimmers too.
Keep a close watch
When kids are in or near water (including bathtubs), closely supervise them at all times. Because drowning happens quickly and quietly, adults watching kids in or near water should avoid distracting activities like reading books, talking on the phone, or using alcohol and drugs.
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