Toddler taken off life-support after drowning in Cathedral City

A male toddler was taken off life-support this week after drowning at a residence in Cathedral City, according to police.

The Cathedral City Police Department revealed in a news release that last Tuesday night, paramedics were called to a residence on the 29300 Block of Avenida La Paz regarding a baby not breathing. Police arrived at the home and started CPR on an 11-month-old male toddler.

Officers say in their investigation they learned the toddler was playing inside of the home. “While crawling and walking around the interior of the residence unattended, the child apparently fell into a plastic, 5-gallon bucket containing less than 5 inches of water.”

The baby was unable to get out of the bucket and he was rendered unconscious. He was then found by family members, who called 911 and started CPR until officers arrived.

Paramedics transported the baby to Desert Regional Medical Center while attempting to revive the child. He was later flown to Loma Linda University Medical Center where he remained on pediatric life-support until he passed away this past Tuesday.

Police say no criminal charges are being considered and this “appears to be an unfortunate accident.”

CCPD and the Cathedral City Fire Department want to remind people of the dangers of water filled containers around the presence of small children. An unattended container of water poses as much risk around an unsupervised child as a bathtub or swimming pool. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 20 children die in the U.S. every year because they drown in buckets. “5-gallon buckets, often used for household chores, pose a serious threat to toddlers. Their tall, straight sides combined with their stability make it nearly impossible for top-heavy infants to free themselves when they topple in headfirst.”