FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A Florida mother found her 14-month-old toddler submerged in water after leaving the child and her 3-year-old sister alone in the bathtub “for a few minutes.”
The Florida Times-Union says emergency crews started CPR on the child at the Fernandina Beach home on Tuesday afternoon, but she was declared dead a short time later at a hospital.
Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper told reporters that the death was “totally preventable” and is a “sad reminder that when your child is in or near the water, you need to keep your eyes on them at all times.”
The 3-year-old wasn’t injured.
The Florida Department of Children and Families is investigating and the older child is being taken care of by her grandmother.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.