SPRING HILL, Fla. — A little boy drowned days after his second birthday when he fell into the pool at his new house, investigators with the Hernando County Sheriff's Office said.
The tragedy happened just before 8 p.m. Monday at a home on Lydia Court in a Spring Hill neighborhood east of U.S. Highway 19 and south of State Road 50.
Deputies and EMS crews were called to the home after dispatchers got a 911 call reportedly saying a 2-year-old boy had fallen into the home's swimming pool and was unresponsive.
The sheriff's office said deputies arrived first and administered CPR until fire rescue crews arrived. Paramedics took over treatment and immediately rushed the toddler to the hospital.
The boy died at the hospital, the sheriff's office said.
The 2-year-old and his family had reportedly moved to Hernando County about a month ago and were settling in. On Sunday, the family had a pool party at their new home to celebrate the toddler's birthday, which had just happened on Friday, May 25.
Because the 2-year-old loved the pool so much, deputies said his father took him swimming again Monday afternoon. The boy's mother took videos while "the toddler and his father played and splashed in the pool."
Later in the day, the boy's parents were in his bedroom trying to fix the closet door. The toddler was with them, the release said.
However, after a few minutes, the parents reportedly noticed their son wasn't in the bedroom and started looking for him.
As they searched the house, the parents saw the boy through the sliding glass door in the kitchen and dining room area. He was face down and floating in the pool, the sheriff's office said.
The parents pulled the boy from the pool, called 911 and started giving him CPR.
Investigators said at this time the drowning "appears to be a tragic accident" and don't suspect foul play.
"Please join Sheriff Al Nienhuis and the men and women of the Hernando County Sheriff's in sending our deepest condolences to the family as they navigate this tragedy," the agency said in a statement.