3-year-old dies after ‘tragic’ drowning in Houston County, officials say

A 3-year-old girl died Thursday, several days after drowning at a family gathering in a rural Houston County neighborhood, according to the Houston County sheriff’s and coroner’s offices.

The child was in a pool at Twin Lakes RV Park in Elko, and went under water for several minutes before family members saw her, according to Lt. Darin Meadows of the Houston County Sheriff’s Office Juvenile Division.

The incident happened Aug. 31, and the victim died Thursday at Atrium Health Navicent Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital in Macon, Houston County Coroner James Williams said.

Other kids were in the pool while family and friends had a get-together, Meadows said.

“The family was around the pool when it happened, and unfortunately the child got into the pool and was not seen until several minutes later,” Meadows said.

Family members pulled the girl from the pool and performed CPR, according to Meadows.

“The child at some point was revived,” he said.

Deputies from the sheriff’s office’s patrol and juvenile divisions responded to the incident, Sheriff Matt Moulton said.

The victim eventually died from a lack of oxygen to the brain, Meadows told The Telegraph.

The incident was under investigation as “a tragic accident,” and nobody was expected to face charges, Meadows said.

The incident was still under investigation Monday.