SANTA ANA : Child Who Fell Into Swimming Pool Dies

A 1-year-old boy who fell into a swimming pool died after about 26 hours on life support, authorities said Wednesday.

Cruz Soria on Monday wandered out to the back yard of his home, in the 900 block of South Shelton Street, through a bedroom side door and fell into a swimming pool, Police Lt. Dave Petko said. A relative later found him unconscious and not breathing. Family members had been doing chores and did not notice when the child wandered away, Petko said.

Paramedics transported Cruz to Coastal Communities Hospital and later transferred him to Children’s Hospital of Orange County, where he died about 5 p.m. Tuesday.

“He never regained consciousness,” hospital spokeswoman Andrea Pronk said.

She advised parents of children age 6 and younger who live near a swimming pool or spa to take precautionary measures such as fencing off the area or installing motion detectors.

Knowing how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation is also recommended, Pronk said.