Toddler Found in Pond Dies
A 19-month-old girl died Monday at Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys, a day after being pulled from a fish pond in the backyard of a North Hills day-care center.
A day-care worker at Martinez Family Child Care Home had gone inside to use the bathroom Sunday afternoon and returned to find Silaedy Richardson in the foot-deep pond, said Brian Humphrey, a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman.
Silaedy reportedly was fascinated by the fish in the pond.
A neighbor, who is a nurse, began cardiopulmonary resuscitation before paramedics arrived at the day-care center in the 8700 block of Maya Place.
Los Angeles police and the state Department of Social Services, which regulates day-care and residential homes, are investigating how the toddler got past the wrought-iron fence that surrounds the pond, and whether the gate had been open.
“The fence was at least 4 feet tall,” homicide Det. Mike Oppelt said.
Social Services requires ponds or pools to be surrounded by fences that don’t obstruct the view of the water, spokesman John Gordon said.
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