A Saturday night pool party at the Kendall Ridge apartment complex in Bradenton ended in tragedy when a four‑year‑old child was pulled unresponsive from the water and later died at a local hospital. Officers and medics tried life‑saving measures at the scene, but police say the child had slipped underwater while swimming and remained submerged for several minutes before anyone realized what had happened. The case is still under active investigation.
According to the Bradenton Police Department, officers were dispatched to the Kendall Ridge complex at about 9:10 p.m. on Saturday. They arrived within roughly three minutes, immediately began CPR on the child and continued efforts until EMS took over and transported the child to a hospital, where the child was pronounced deceased. Police say the gathering was a large pool party that included the child’s family, and investigators believe the child had been underwater for several minutes before being found.
Bradenton police also reported that an arrest was made early Sunday morning. The person taken into custody was identified as Rosette Pierrecius, who faces a charge of child neglect causing great bodily harm. Detectives stressed that the investigation is ongoing and urged parents and caregivers to assign a designated "water watcher" whenever children are around pools or open water while the inquiry continues.
How quickly drownings can occur
Drowning often happens fast and without much noise, which means even short lapses in supervision can be deadly. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury death for children aged 1–4, a stark reminder that a few unguarded minutes can have devastating consequences. Basic prevention steps, such as designating a "water watcher," installing barriers around pools and learning CPR, can significantly reduce the risk.
County programs push safety tools
Manatee County has been trying to get ahead of exactly this kind of tragedy with new drowning prevention efforts. The county is offering free pool and water‑safety alarms to qualifying households and is also encouraging families to enroll kids in swim lessons and maintain close adult supervision, according to Manatee County. Local nonprofits and officials emphasize that while alarms and physical barriers can help, they are not a substitute for an adult who is actively watching the water.
Legal implications
Police say the arrest in this case involves a charge of child neglect causing great bodily harm, which under Florida law can be prosecuted as a second‑degree felony when neglect results in serious injury to a child, per Florida Statutes. An arrest does not equal a conviction; the State Attorney’s Office will review the findings and decide whether to file formal charges as detectives continue gathering evidence.
What police are asking residents
The Bradenton Police Department says it has shared its emergency and non‑emergency contact information and is urging any household with a pool to appoint a single adult "water watcher" at parties or gatherings where distractions are likely. Investigators are asking anyone who has video or additional information about the incident at Kendall Ridge to contact Bradenton police while the probe moves forward.
