Toddler pulled from apartment complex pool in central Phoenix

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A 3-year-old boy is fighting for his life after a man returning from work spotted him in an apartment complex pool in central Phoenix Friday afternoon.

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It happened just after 1 p.m. at a complex on Colter Street, north of Camelback Road, near 11th Avenue.

Firefighters said a food deliveryman was returning from work and spotted something in the water.

“And I saw something floating. And it looked like what could have been maybe a kid or maybe like a little, like doll or something. And then, once my eyes, like, clarified it, and I saw the shoes in the pool. I saw his shirt over on the side,” Martin, who lives at the complex, said.

“Had to go the long way. I’m kinda glad I came the long way. Because I saw the kid. Saw the poor little kid in the pool,” said Martin.

He then made a frantic 911 call. The boy’s father then arrived.

“Everybody came as fast as they could,” said Martin.

Firefighters said nobody knew CPR so the dispatcher walked the adults through what to do. Martin said a woman arrived and knew had to do CPR.

“She helped him out. Bless her heart,” Martin said.

But it was too much for the dad.

“During that time, he was overcome with emotion … (he) then fell to the ground,” Phoenix Fire Capt. Rob McDade said.

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First responders arrived at the scene quickly, put the boy in an ambulance and took him to the hospital in extremely critical condition.

The father was also taken to the hospital in stable condition.

“So the mother was not on scene. The mother did come back to this scene. The mother has been transported to the hospital to be with the child at this time,” McDade said.

It’s unclear how long the boy was in the water. There is a fence around the pool but it is unclear if the gate was locked.

McDade stressed the importance of CPR.

“But the survivability of a child is directly based on that immediate CPR that starts right when they’re pulled from the pool. So learn CPR,” he said. “But if you’re armed with that, there’s no delay. And I just implore you, everybody should know how to do it.”

Phoenix police are investigating.

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