Swimmer’s body pulled from lake after 5-year-old cousin is seen ‘bobbing’ alone, cops say
The body of a 42-year-old man was found in an Arizona lake after a mom saw her child “bobbing” in the water alone, deputies said.
Ignacio Quintero Jr. was swimming with his 5-year-old cousin at about 1:30 p.m. July 16 in Lake Pleasant, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
The child’s mother spotted her son “bobbing in the water barely staying afloat,” deputies said.
She and the father pulled him from the water, and the unresponsive child was given CPR, deputies said.
He was then able to gain consciousness.
Bystanders found Quintero in the water and pulled him to the shore to perform CPR on him, but he died at the scene, deputies said.
His cousin was taken to a hospital and has since been released.
Neither Quintero nor his cousin was wearing a life jacket, and it’s not known how well Quintero could swim.
“There are no signs of foul play or any suspicious circumstances that led to this incident,” deputies said.
A medical examiner will determine his cause of death and conduct toxicology reports.
The investigation is ongoing.
Lake Pleasant is about 45 miles northwest of Phoenix.
What to know about 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.”
This story was originally published July 17, 2023 at 6:54 PM with the headline "Swimmer’s body pulled from lake after 5-year-old cousin is seen ‘bobbing’ alone, cops say."
