4-Year-Old Drowned in Katy Area Apartment Pool; Keep Kids Safe this Summer

KATY MAGAZINE NEWS

May 28, 2024

By Natalie Cook Clark

A 4-year-old child has died after drowning in a Katy area apartment pool. The child was swimming with parents, siblings and about 15-20 other people when they went under.

Child Found Unresponsive in Katy Apartment Pool

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez shared on social media around 9:00 p.m. last night that deputies had responded to calls of an unresponsive child at a Katy area apartment complex at 1721 Greenhouse.

4-Year-Old Had Been Swimming with Family, Friends

The 4-year-old child had been swimming with parents, siblings, and others (15-20 people) when the child went under the water and became unresponsive.

Sheriff Gonzalez shared that CPR was being administered and that the child was transported to the hospital. However, the child was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Memorial Day Weeknd Saw Multiple Drownings

Memorial Day weekend was the first weekend of summer and a rough start to water safety in the Greater Houston area. Two people drowned in Galveston, a popular destination for many Katy families. Each year, drowning is the leading cause of death in children. Harris County often leads Texas’ statistics.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services tracks fatal drownings and in 2023 there were at least 90 fatal drownings in children ages 17 and younger. It is estimated that there are 8 times more non-fatal drownings than fatal drownings.

Protect Our children

Children can drown in as little as 1" of water; hazards include bathtubs, buckets, pools, bodies of water, etc.
Create barriers between your child and the water
Close, lock, and alarm all doors that lead to water
Remove toys from any pool to avoid temptation
Drain inflatable/kiddie pools, after each use and store upside down and out of reach
Remove ladders from above ground pools when not in use
Always assign an adult to watch the water without any distractions (phones, books, or socializing with other adults). Download a Water Watcher Card (www.safekids.org)
Drowning is preventable and affect all people regardless of their background
Many children drown when they were not expected to be in the water, so consider all of the possible hazards for your family and take precautions now.