3-Year-Old, Adult Nearly Drown in Accidents at O.C. Swimming Pools

A toddler and an adult suffered severe injuries Sunday after nearly drowning in separate incidents, according to fire officials.

The first near drowning took place about 1:40 p.m., where the 3-year-old victim had been watching a movie with his mother and sister at their home in the 400 block of North La Reina Street in Anaheim.

“He was promised they would go swimming when the movie finished,” said Robyn Butler, Anaheim fire spokeswoman. “The movie finished, and the mother got up to get swimming suits.”

And the boy, eager to go play in the water, went to the family’s backyard pool. The mother found him about five minutes later at the bottom of the pool. It was unclear how the boy gained entry into the pool, which is surrounded by a tall wrought-iron gate.

“He has been known to climb the fence--he moves a chair [next to it], takes off his shoes and scales the rest of the fence. Unfortunately, we don’t know whether the gate was locked” Sunday, Butler said.

The mother, police and paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and the boy was taken to West Anaheim Medical Center. He was transferred to Children’s Hospital of Orange County in Orange, where he was in critical condition Sunday afternoon, Butler said.

Butler said the incident shows the importance of constant supervision.

“The big message is being aware of children,” she added. “Any time there’s water in an area, there’s danger. Make sure [children are] watched and kept an eye on.”

Later Sunday afternoon, John Chaidez, a 38-year-old Orange resident, was swimming laps at a Fourth of July party in Anaheim Hills, when guests noticed that he dipped below the surface--and remained there.

“He kind of settled down at the bottom of the pool, which he has been known to do, according to friends,” so no one payed much attention at first, Butler said.

But guests soon realized that something was wrong and called 911. Chaidez had “drank quite a bit” of alcohol at the gathering, Butler said.

When paramedics were called to the 400 block of East Maple Tree Drive at 3:27 p.m., Chaidez was unconscious. He was taken to Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Anaheim.