Toddler Drowns In Worcester Lake
WORCESTER (CBS) - A toddler drowned in a Worcester lake Thursday morning.
Dept. Fire Chief Geoffrey Gardell told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 that just before 11 a.m., the child's mother called 911 saying the back door was open and her son was missing.
"While she was on the phone talking with dispatchers, she found her son in the lake unresponsive, not breathing," Dept. Chief Gardell said.
The family's home is part of an apartment complex on Indian Lake, where the 18-month-old boy was found unconscious.
Neighbor Rasheen Stewart heard the mother screaming.
"I looked out my window and saw the lady crawling up on the dock with the child in her hands, she started doing CPR and I called 911," Stewart said.
Investigators say the little boy was only missing from his Prospect Street apartment for about six minutes.
"The mother and friend were in the kitchen, child was in the living room," Worcester Police Sgt. Kerry Hazelhurst said. "Apparently the rear door was ajar. The child managed to get out back door... and wandered into the water."
The boy was rushed to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester where he was pronounced dead. His name has not yet been released.
The lake is fenced off behind the apartment complex, but apparently that gate was also left open. Police are calling the boy's death a tragic accident, but they will investigate the security of the door and the back gate.
WBZ-TV's Kathy Curran contributed to this report.
