Child nearly drowns in Skyway pool

Bystanders rescued the boy from the pool and began CPR. Firefighters arrived a short time later and found the boy unresponsive, but breathing on his own.

A 4-year-old boy was rushed to Children’s Hospital in Seattle Saturday afternoon after being under water at a Skyway apartment complex pool.

King County Fire District 20 and King County Medic One responded to the Creston Point Apartments at 3:15 p.m.

“The boy, who was seen wearing a life jacket prior to the incident, was seen in video surveillance without his life jacket sliding into the deep end of the pool,” spokesperson Dave Nelson said in an email. “He was seen struggling and going under for approximately five minutes.”

Bystanders rescued the boy from the pool and began CPR. Firefighters arrived a short time later and found the boy unresponsive, but breathing on his own.

The apartment management requires adult supervision for all those who enter the pool area, since there is no lifeguard on duty. This is standard for most private pools.

“It’s warm out, and no matter what body of water we are at to cool off, children should be wearing a life jacket with adult supervision,” said Nelson. “In this case a child took his life jacket off and the adult lost track of the him.”

The King County Sheriffs Office is investigating.