3-year-old drowns in swimming pool at baby sitter’s home

A 3-year-old girl drowned Thursday morning in her baby sitter’s backyard swimming pool, Wichita police said.

The child was playing in the backyard of the sitter’s house in the 1400 block of South Sedgwick, near Harry and Meridian, police said. A 5-year-old also was playing in the backyard at the time.

The 3-year-old managed to get into an above-ground pool that was about 4 feet high. She was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Wichita police Sgt. Nikki Woodrow.

“When first responders arrived on scene, they located a 3-year-old that had been in a pool; we are not sure for how long,” Woodrow said.

Emergency personnel were not able to resuscitate the child, she said.

Woodrow said the baby sitter and three other children were in the house at the time of the drowning. Woodrow said she did not think the woman was a licensed day care provider.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment, which oversees licensed day cares in Kansas, recommends that if an above-ground pool is present, the steps be removed when the pool is not in use.

Woodrow said police are still investigating the case. No arrests have been made.

An hour after the 911 call at about 10:30 a.m., parents were running up to the house, some crying and gratefully clutching children. Some hugged other parents.

Woodrow said all families with children at the residence had been notified.

This story was originally published June 23, 2016 at 12:18 PM with the headline "3-year-old drowns in swimming pool at baby sitter’s home."