Authorities are investigating after a 2-year-old boy and his 74-year-old relative drowned in a neighborhood pond in southeast Texas on July 5.
Once deputies arrived on scene, they found EMS crews and firefighters performing lifesaving measures on the elderly woman near the pond. The toddler was later located in the water and pulled to shore before receiving CPR. Katrib said both were taken to area hospitals, where they were ultimately pronounced dead.
Authorities have not released the identities of the victims. However, Katrib said the 74-year-old woman was a relative of the child, though officials have not confirmed the exact relationship.
Preliminary information showed the child and his mother were visiting the elderly relative, who lived in the neighborhood, located just north of Houston. Officials said the mother indicated that the child may have been autistic.
"At a point in time, the child became bored, so the 74-year-old told the mother she was going to take him to a neighborhood park," Katrib said. "After some time went by and the mother did not hear from them, she became concerned and went looking for them."
The major said the mother was naturally very distraught following the incident and extended his condolences to the family and the neighborhood at large.
"This is a very tragic situation for everyone involved," Katrib said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family in this community during these difficult times."
The investigation into the incident remains ongoing, and officials said detectives plan to canvass the area to find potential surveillance footage and speak with any neighbors who may have information.
Anyone with knowledge about the case has been asked to call the Harris County Sheriff's Office non-emergency line at 713-221-6000 or the Crime Stoppers of Houston hotline at 713-222-8477.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Katrib urged the public to be mindful with children near bodies of water and emphasized the importance of proper safety measures.
"Anything can happen in the blink of an eye," he said. "So really, the child should be supervised at all times, and if they're not familiar with swimming or haven't taken swimming lessons, then [it's] highly encouraged to have a floating device before they go into the water."