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Aug 072012
 

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, AZ – Authorities are investigating the apparent drowning of a 16-year-old Boy Scout from Utah at Supai Canyon in Grand Canyon National Park.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Department says an investigation shows Kreg Harrison, Jr. of St. George, Utah and three other scouts were swimming in the pool of water immediately below Mooney Falls Wednesday and were attempting to swim near to or underneath the waterfall.

Investigators described the pool under the falls as about 5 feet deep with a very strong undercurrent.

The boys reportedly saw Harrison struggle and go under the water, and when one of the boys tried to pull the victim above the water the undercurrent was so strong it almost pulled the second boy under as well.

Eventually, one of the other swimmers was able to pull Harrison to shore and a number of people, including a medical doctor with the group, tried to save Harrison by administering CPR.

Two of the scouts trapped behind the falls were rescued by adult leaders and boy scouts by forming a human chain.

Harrison’s body was flown by a Department of Public Safety to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Officials said the group had planned on staying in the canyon until Friday, but in light of the events were being flown out of the canyon by helicopter today.

Aug 072012
 

TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) – The 10-month-old baby who was left in a bathtub was removed from life support Monday, according to officials with Tucson Police.

As a result of the child’s death, Zada Davis was arrested Tuesday with an added charge of second degree murder.

Winter Breeze Azure was found unconscious and not breathing in a bathtub full of water on June 12.

When detectives with the Dependent Child Unit arrived, they learned that Davis was caring for the baby, along with two other children.

Davis told police she had left the child in the bathtub with the water running, while she left the bathroom to do other things in the apartment at 3636 N. Campbell Ave.

After 10 minutes, Davis returned to the bathroom and found the tub overflowing with water, and the baby was floating.

A neighbor performed CPR on the child while waiting for emergency personnel to arrive.

The other two children in the apartment were not injured.

Davis was booked into Pima County Jail.

Aug 072012
 

MARICOPA, AZ – A father says he thought his relatives were watching his 3-year-old daughter when he left the Maricopa neighborhood pool; meanwhile, the relatives thought he had taken the child with him.

No one noticed when the girl jumped into the pool and started to sink.

Despite being in the water for up to six minutes, the girl is perfectly fine, her father Justo Valenzuela said.

“God was with her,” said Valenzuela.

His daughter Ariza barely remembers what happened on Saturday .

“If I wouldn’t have gone to get [dinner], this wouldn’t have happened,” Valenzuela told ABC15.

Valenzuela said there must have been miscommunication among the family, something he said will never happen again.

“I could have lost one of the most precious things God has given me,” he said.

Ariza’s aunt began CPR and revived the child just as paramedics were arriving.

Valenzuela said his daughter is on an antibiotic to help combat any bacteria in her lungs, but other than that, she’s healthy.

“She’s our miracle,” Ariza’s aunt said.

Aug 072012
 

MESA, Ariz. – A little boy who was pulled from a pool during a birthday party is expected to survive.

It happened Monday at a home near Lindsay and Brown in Mesa.

Mesa Fire Capt. Forrest Smith says the boy was visiting a house for a birthday party. He somehow figured out how to get into the pool and an adult found him underwater.

The adult administered CPR and was able to get the child breathing again.

The boy was taken to Cardon Children’s Hospital and is expected to recover.

Aug 072012
 

PHOENIX – A 1-year-old boy has been rushed to a Valley hospital after he was pulled from a backyard pool in north Phoenix.

Phoenix Fire Department spokesman Hugh Chase said the boy was taken to Banner Thunderbird Hospital in extremely critical condition.

There was no immediate word on how long he had been in the water. The family was new to the area and there was no fence or barrier around the pool.

The little boy’s 12-year-old brother found him floating in the pool and called his mother. The boy’s mother pulled the toddler from the water and began CPR.

Officials say hospital personnel were able to establish a heartbeat on the boy, but he is still listed in extremely critical condition.

Aug 072012
 

The teen boy pulled unconscious out of the Colorado River after floating downstream underwater for about 100 yards has been identified.

Junior de Jesus Salamanca, 17, is currently listed in critical condition at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

The near-drowning occurred at about 4:45 p.m. Wednesday when two of Salamanca’s younger siblings became distressed while swimming beneath the Ocean-to-Ocean Bridge, the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office reported.

Salamanca, who was swimming nearby, tried to rescue his young brother and sister, who were between the ages of 3 and 5.

He was able to reach the children, but as he was returning with them to the shore, he fell into a deep drop off at the north side of the Colorado River beneath the railroad bridge and disappeared under the surface. At that time, he lost his grip on the two children.

Mike Colberg had been swimming in the area and had stopped for a moment near the large rocks underneath the railroad bridge nearby when he became aware of the two children and swam to their rescue.

He was able to grab the young boy and bring him into a nearby cove. With the aid of a second man, both the boy and girl were taken to the opposite shore. Both children were uninjured.

Colberg had been unaware of Salamanca, who continued to float downstream at least 100 yards just beneath the surface.

Salamanca’s father began shouting for help to find his son. Two people standing on the southern shore beneath the Interstate 8 bridge spotted the teen beneath the water a short time later. They brought him ashore and began CPR while someone called 911.

Paramedics responded to the scene, where they began trying to revive the teen as he lay in the sand on the riverbank. They placed him in a gurney and continued chest compressions as they loaded him into the back of a Yuma Fire Department ambulance. He was then transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center before being flown by helicopter to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

The incident has prompted YCSO to warn Yuma area residents about the dangers associated with swimming in natural waterways.

“River flows and depth can change on a day-to-day basis so don’t assume just because you were there one day that it will be the same the next,” said Lt. Darren Simmons.

“Watch small children closely and make sure they are wearing approved safety flotation devices.”

Aug 072012
 

MESA, AZ – A 2-year-old girl is in extremely critical condition after being pulled from a backyard pool in Mesa.

Mesa Fire Department spokesman Forrest Smith said the girl was at a home near the Loop 202 and Gilbert with her family when she somehow made it out of the house and into the pool.

“You need to have adult supervision, and if you don’t have those other barriers in place like a fence, then you run into some problems,” said Smith.

Firefighters said the water was murky and it is unclear how long she was under the water.

The little girl’s family performed CPR until firefighters arrived. Fire crews said the house did not have a pool fence.

The girl was transported to Cardon Children’s Hospital.

Fire officials remind the public of the A, B, C’s of drowning prevention.

A is for adult supervision. Be close and responsible and have eye-to-eye contact with children around all forms of water.

B is for barriers, such as pool fencing, pool covers, pool safety nets and alarms at every door, with working batteries. Also consider extra latches.

C is for classes. Children of the appropriate age should take water-safety classes; adults should take CPR.

Aug 072012
 

TUCSON – A 10-month old girl is in critical condition after nearly drowning in a bathtub this afternoon – the woman who was watching her has been charged with Child Abuse.

Tucson Fire and Tucson Police responded to an apartment in the 3600 block of north Campbell Avenue at about 2:45 p.m. Tuesday afternoon after a 10-month old girl was found unconscious and not breathing in a bathtub full of water. TFD personnel immediately performed CPR and rushed the child to a local hospital.

The child remains in critical condition in the hospital.

Upon investigation, detectives from TPD’s Dependent Child Unit learned that 27-year-old Zada Davis was caring for the baby, as well as her 7-year-old child, and another 8-month old baby.

Davis put the baby in the bathtub sometime between 2 p.m, and 2:30 p.m., leaving the water running with toys in the tub, TPD officials state. She then began doing other things around the house, leaving the child alone in the bathroom. After about 10 minutes, Davis returned and found the bathtub overflowing, with the child floating in the water.

Davis pulled the baby out of the tub and called 911, and a neighbor performed CPR until Tucson Fire personnel arrived. The other children in the house were not involved in the incident.

As a result of the investigation, Davis was arrested and charged with one count of felony Child Abuse and booked into Pima County Jail.

Aug 072012
 

GILBERT, AZ – A five-year-old boy died Sunday after being pulled from a community pool in Gilbert .

The accident happened Saturday at a neighborhood pool near Baseline and Val Vista.

Gilbert police tell ABC15, Clayden Hammond was found face down in the pool. The boy died at the hospital.

“He was still as a statue,” said Bella Padilla who tried to save the boy’s life.

That was was one of the first signs that caught the attention of seven-year-old Bella.

She said the five-year-old was under water for three or four minutes.

“I was like dad, he’s scaring me. I just kept coming closer and closer. My dad went over there and nudged him,” said Bella.

“He was hovering just above the surface of the pool, face first, lifeless. I didn’t get a response from him so I knew he wasn’t with us,” said Bella’s father Louis Padilla.

It was at that point Padilla, a decorated war hero, knew he had to move quickly.

“I brought him to the side of the pool and right away we started doing CPR on him. We never got a heartbeat, he had no response. He had a lot of water in him,” said Louis.

According to the Gilbert police department, Hammond was visiting from New Mexico. He came in town to visit his grandparents.

Witnesses tell ABC15 his grandparents were in the pool when the incident happened.

Jun 082012
 

PHOENIX –

A 3-year-old girl is recovering after nearly drowning in an apartment complex swimming pool and she’s alive all thanks to the quick actions of her cousin.

Firefighters say the girl was in the pool area with her family near 40th Street and Indian School Road.  She didn’t want to leave the pool, so she jumped in and tried to swim, but started to go under.  That’s when her cousin, who is a lifeguard, went to save her.

“Don’t get a false sense of security when there’s a lot of people around the pool,” said Sgt. Marty Nickel of the Phoenix Police Department.  “That’s when you lose track of the little ones.”

The child was taken to an area hospital and is expected to be okay.

No names were released in this case.

FOX 10 News – Phoenix, AZ | KSAZ-TV