A 7-year-old girl and her father drowned and three other people are hurt after the child struggled in a pool at a party in Maryland on Saturday and others tried to help.
The child and her father, Haffis Olanrewaju Agboola, died after an accident at a home in the 1200 block of Jefferson Lane in Waldorf, the Charles County Sheriff’s Office said.
Agboola was 44 and lived in Hyattsville, officials said. The girl's name was not immediately released.
A 17-year-old boy who tried to save them both was flown to a hospital in critical condition. Two firefighters also were hurt.
The child and her father were guests at a birthday party at a home with an uncovered pool when the child jumped into the pool before 6 p.m. Saturday, the sheriff's office said.
"According to family, she did not know how to swim. Her father quickly jumped in to rescue her, but he was unable to swim," the sheriff's office said.
The 17-year-old boy then jumped into the pool to try to rescue them both.
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"All three victims took on too much water," the statement said.
Fire and EMS responders arrived and jumped into the pool to rescue all three victims, who were at the bottom of the pool. Police arrived, and first responders performed CPR.
"I seen them trying to take off their gear and jump in the water," Alisha Pinckney, a neighbor, said Sunday. "Oh my goodness, it was just sad."
The child, her father, and two fire and EMS responders were rushed to a local hospital, where the child and her father were pronounced dead. The 17-year-old boy was flown to a children's hospital.
The fire and EMS responders also took in too much water. They were treated and released.
Pink balloons from the birthday party could still be seen outside the house on Sunday.
Drowning is a leading cause of death for children, the Red Cross says. Pools should be secured with barriers, someone should be designated as a “water watcher” and every family member should be taught to swim, the group says. Go here for more safety information.
Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.
