Boy who escaped drowning released from hospital

Published 8:16 am Thursday, September 6, 2018

A 10-year-old Chatfield boy who was found facedown and unresponsive in a campground swimming pool over the weekend, has been released from the hospital.

The boy, who was found not breathing and without a heartbeat, was resuscitated through the efforts of two regional firefighters and a nurse. He was released from Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Rochester Monday with no ill effects from the incident, according to Mower County Senior Sgt. Investigator Steve Sandvik.

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Sandvik also released new details about the incident which took place late Saturday morning at Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park-Beaver Trails Campground.

Sandvick said the boy was riding his bike in the company of a family member when he made his way over to the swimming pool.

The boy, who is a non-swimmer, got into the pool, but got too far into the deep water. Sandvick reported the last thing the boy remembered was trying to jump out, but could not due to the deep water.

The family member, by that time, had gone in search of the boy and when he couldn’t locate him, began asking for help. By the time he was located, the boy, who had been found facedown with a purple face, was already being taken from the pool where life-saving CPR was started.

He was transported first to Mayo Clinic Health Systems – Austin and then taken to Rochester.

There were no lifeguards on duty, but signs posted on the fence surrounding the pool indicated there wasn’t a lifeguard on duty.