3-year-old vanishes from apartment before being found at bottom of pond, SC cops say
A 3-year-old vanished from an apartment complex before being found at the bottom of a retention pond, South Carolina officials said.
The toddler was pulled from the water with “no signs of life” and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office and news reports.
The child was identified as John Tyheem Williams, the Dorchester County Coroner’s Office told WCSC and WCIV.
Deputies said they responded to a report of a missing toddler at about noon on Friday, Sept. 8. The child was last seen at an apartment complex in the Ladson area, roughly 20 miles northwest of Charleston.
A deputy reported that someone found an iPod in a retention pond that might have belonged to the 3-year-old. Then, the sheriff’s office started working with other agencies to search the water for the missing child, according to an incident report.
At about 1 p.m., a diver found the child “approximately 15-20 feet from the bank in about 10-12 feet of water.” The toddler’s body was taken to the coroner’s office, where an autopsy was scheduled, according to deputies and news outlets.
Deputies in a Sept. 8 email said they were investigating the child’s drowning death along with the coroner’s office and the S.C. Law Enforcement Division.
The Dorchester County Coroner’s Office didn’t immediately share the child’s identity with McClatchy News on Sept. 11.
Drowning
At least 4,000 people die from drowning every year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and drowning is a leading cause of death for children.
Some factors can make drowning more likely, including not knowing how to swim, a lack of close supervision, not wearing a life jacket and drinking alcohol while recreating near or in water.
The National Drowning Prevention Alliance said there are tips to help keep you safe in the water, including checking local weather conditions, never swimming alone and choosing the right equipment.
“Don’t hesitate to get out of the water if something doesn’t feel right,” the group said on its website. “Whether it’s that the current is getting rough, rain has started to fall, or your body is just not responding like you would like it to due to fatigue or muscle cramps, then just leave and return to the water another day. It’s always a good thing to trust your instincts.”
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