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VERNAL — A toddler who was unresponsive when he was found in a hot tub Tuesday night was flown to a Salt Lake City hospital, where he remained in critical condition Wednesday.
Deputies and emergency medical technicians were called about 7:30 p.m. to a Vernal house, 4028 S. 1500 West, on a report of a drowning, Uintah County Sheriff's Cpl. Dustin Cheshire said. People at the house told dispatchers they'd found a 16-month-old boy in the hot tub and he was unresponsive.
A volunteer firefighter who lives near the boy's home was performing CPR when deputies and EMTs arrived, Cpl. Brian Fletcher said Wednesday. The boy, whose name has not been released, was taken to Ashley Regional Medical Center and then flown to Primary Children's Hospital.
Based on preliminary reports, investigators have determined that a family member took the cover partially off the hot tub to check the water, then briefly left the area, Fletcher said. When family members noticed the boy wasn't in the house, they immediately went to the hot tub and found the toddler in the water, he said.
"It doesn't appear that the child was in there very long at all," Fletcher said.
The boy's family is cooperating with the investigation, which hasn't turned up any evidence of wrongdoing, according to deputies.
"Tragic accidents happen and this appears to be one of those," Fletcher said. "We're hoping and we're pulling for the child at this time and hoping and praying for the family."
