Tot on Life Support After Pool Accident
A 2-year-old Port Hueneme girl was hospitalized in critical condition Tuesday night after falling into the family’s swimming pool a day earlier, authorities said.
Aubrey Ortega was on a life-support machine in the pediatric intensive care unit at Santa Barbara’s Cottage Hospital, a spokeswoman said.
According to Port Hueneme Police Sgt. Rollen Burns, Aubrey and her 11-year-old cousin were in the backyard pool area Monday and Aubrey fell in while reaching for a toy floating on the water.
A relative, Theresa Puga, heard the splash from inside the home and ran to the pool, where she pulled Aubrey from the bottom, a depth of about 5 feet.
Two neighbors, Nicholas Rodriguez and Jose Aguilar, responded to Puga’s cries for help, giving Aubrey CPR until police officers and paramedics arrived, Burns said.
The toddler was treated at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard before being transferred to Cottage Hospital.
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