A 1-year-old girl was found unresponsive in water inside a Kensington home Thursday evening and later died at Saint Christopher’s Hospital, according to police. Fire department paramedics were dispatched to a hospital case shortly after 7 p.m. and rushed the child to St. Christopher’s, where she was pronounced dead at 7:49 p.m. Police say early information points to drowning as the likely cause of death.
House Treated As A Crime Scene
When officers went into the home to figure out what happened, they found a large basin filled with water sitting in a second-floor bathroom tub and water covering the first-floor dining room. Investigators described the scene as “unusual.” Inspector Scott Small told FOX 29 Philadelphia that Special Victims investigators and the Medical Examiner’s Office were called in and that detectives are treating the property as a crime scene for now. The child’s mother and other children remained in the home and are being interviewed by detectives.
Drowning Is A Leading Risk For Toddlers
Drowning is the leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 1 to 4 in the United States, and national data show fatal drownings in that age group have risen in recent years, according to the CDC. Local reviewers have flagged the same concern, with the city’s Philadelphia Child Death Review Report including drowning among its key categories of unintentional child deaths and related prevention recommendations. Experts emphasize that swim lessons, close supervision and physical barriers work together as layers of protection rather than guarantees of safety.
Investigation Ongoing
Police say they have not yet determined exactly how the child drowned. The Medical Examiner’s Office will carry out further testing to establish the final cause and manner of death. Inspector Small told FOX 29 Philadelphia that detectives are still interviewing family members and that no arrests or charges have been announced. The house remains secured while investigators process the scene.
Safety Takeaways
Public health groups stress constant, arm’s-length supervision whenever young children are around any standing water and urge caregivers to empty and remove buckets and basins immediately after use so kids cannot get to them. The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that many children can start swim lessons around their first birthday as one added layer of protection, while the CDC recommends multiple overlapping safeguards including barriers, attentive supervision and learning to swim. For families with questions about water safety, the American Academy of Pediatrics offers practical, step-by-step guidance.
