A three-year-old child drowned Tuesday night in Durham, according to emergency dispatch recordings, in a tragedy that unfolded at a home on Old Page Road. Durham County EMS rushed the child to Duke University Hospital, but the child did not survive.
Durham County EMS confirmed to WRAL that crews responded to the scene and transported the child to Duke, where the child was later pronounced dead. Broadcastify scanner traffic, cited by WRAL, placed the incident at 4916 Old Page Road and dispatchers reportedly said the three-year-old had drowned in a pool. WRAL also reported that a chaplain was asked to respond to Duke and that Durham police had not immediately issued a statement.
Why this matters locally
The case is a stark reminder of how quickly a moment near the water can turn deadly for young children. Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death for U.S. children ages 1 to 4, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As temperatures climbed earlier this summer, North Carolina officials urged families to be extra cautious around pools, lakes and other swim spots. In a May release, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reminded residents to closely supervise children and secure pool areas.
Local prevention efforts
Durham-area schools and nonprofits have been trying to push those safety messages into daily life, especially for younger kids who are just learning to swim. According to its program page, Swim For Charlie, a Durham nonprofit, partners with schools and pools to provide water-safety education and swim lessons to second-graders across the Triangle.
Advocates say that swim lessons, secure pool barriers and constant adult supervision are among the most effective ways to reduce drowning risk.
What families should know
Experts urge caregivers to actively watch children whenever they are in or near water, teach basic water skills as early as possible and install physical barriers around home pools. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state public-health officials publish checklists and step-by-step guidance for parents looking to tighten safety around the water.
Durham police and county officials did not immediately release more details about Tuesday's incident. This story will be updated if officials provide new information.
