A toddler died after drowning at Nara Park in Acton, Massachusetts, on Friday afternoon, while his 75-year-old grandmother remained hospitalized after being pulled from the water.
“The individuals were not dressed in bathing suits, and it appears they were not there to swim,” the release stated.
At some point during the visit, the youngest child, who was almost 2 years old, entered the water. His grandmother also went into the water, according to preliminary information released by authorities.
The toddler was transported by medical helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he later died. His grandmother was also taken to a hospital and remained hospitalized and in critical condition. Authorities did not publicly identify either victim.
“That area where they were is not a swimming area,” Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said during a press conference. She said the grandmother and the children "were apparently just taking a walk, playing, in that area of the park."
After the child and his grandmother entered the water, the two other children, approximately four and six years old, called for help from the three lifeguards on duty. Camp counselors, bystanders and lifeguards immediately responded, according to the district attorney’s office.
Bystanders removed the pair from the water, and lifeguards began CPR and other lifesaving measures. Acton police received the initial 911 call reporting a possible drowning at approximately 1:37 p.m. Acton police officers and firefighters responded, along with Westford first responders and area emergency medical personnel.
“That is an area [that] is very slippery; it’s a rocky place inside the water,” Ryan said. “It’s about 12 to 15 feet in depth shortly out from that, so we know there was difficulty in removing the child and the grandmother.”
“This is a time to really save a thought for this family, for the really unspeakable loss of the child, the trauma suffered by the siblings,” Ryan said.
Acton Police Chief Douglas Sturniolo urged members of the community to support those affected by the incident. "I really just want to ask the community just to support one another. That's what I can ask for right now," he said.