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WEST VALLEY CITY — An 11-year-old boy is in serious condition Monday after a near-drowning in West Valley City.
It was the Fransisco Sarna's cousin who said she noticed him not moving at the bottom of the pool. At first, she thought he was playing a game before realizing the situation was no joke.
"He was, like, in the middle of the pool under the water," said Evelin Sarna, the boy's cousin.
Between 4 and 5 p.m., Evelin said she asked her 11-year-old cousin to go swimming. During the course of their time in the pool, Evelin noticed him underwater.
"I thought he was playing, and then I didn't pay attention to him. And then I came back, and I saw him that he wouldn't move."
Nearly three minutes went by before Evelin realized her cousin wasn't playing.
"I was calling his name … and he wouldn't respond," she said.
Evelin said another man helped her lift her cousin Fransisco out of the water.
"He helped me get him out of the pool and then we called 911 and they told us what to do," she said.
Others jumped in to help perform CPR while they anxiously waited for paramedics to arrive, worrying about what would have happened if more time had passed.
"If I didn't see him, I don't think anyone that was here would have seen him enter the water," said Evelin.
Monday she's just glad she got to him when she did.
"He's like my brother," she said. "It's scary."
The boy was taken to Primary Children's Hospital and is in serious condition.
General safety tips
- Learn to swim
-
Learn CPR - The United Fire Authority offers classes for CPR. Register online at www.unitedfire.org
- Mind weather conditions, as they may cause dangerous changes to your water activities.
- Always have an able bodied, responsible adult around small children while playing in or around water.
- If possible, swim where there will be lifeguards.
- Avoid drinking alcohol before and while participating in water activities or while supervising children.
Around a Personal Pool
- Install a four-sided fence around your personal swimming pool
- Clear the pool area of any pool toys, or any objects that can attract children to play around an unsupervised pool, or cause someone to trip and fall into a pool
Around a Natural Water Setting
- Use U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets.
- Watch for dangerous waves and signs of rip currents.
