Drowning shocks quiet neighborhood

Gretchen Hoffman

NORTHEAST GLENDALE -- The drowning of a 4-year-old boyin the family

swimming pool has rocked a quiet tree-lined street where neighborhood

children are frequent playmates.

Fred and Grace Minassian’s son, Nicholas, was playing with two

children in the driveway and garage of their home in the 1600 block of

Santa Barbara Avenue on Sunday, police said. The three children came into

the house and went into a room to watch TV, but a few short minutes

later, Nicholas was gone, police said.

His father ran out the back door, calling his name, but he was greeted

with a glimpse of his son’s feet floating in the pool, police added.

Fred Minassian tore open a child safety gate and jumped into the pool,

but Nicholas wasn’t breathing, police said. They called 911, and a

dispatcher walked them through preliminary CPR, Glendale Fire Capt.

Robert Doyle said.

Glendale Police arrived at the home two minutes later and were met by

the father running down the driveway with the boy in his arms, police

said. They began CPR. Glendale Fire paramedics arrived a minute later and

took Nicholas to Verdugo Hills Hospital, Doyle added.

Emergency room staff tried to revive him for 20 minutes. He was

pronounced dead at 6:34 p.m., police said.

“It’s just a tragic accident,” Officer Tony Futia said. “The parents

are devastated.”

The family could not be reached Monday.

The investigation into the accident is continuing, but Nicholas may

have gotten into the gated backyard area through an unlocked door, Futia

added.

Connie Shahinpour’s 3-year-old twins are frequent playmates of

Nicholas. She was sitting in her backyard when she heard Fred Minassian’s

screams, she said.

“I think we’re all in shock,” she said. “My babies played with him.

All these kids played together.”

Nicholas was a playful child, full of energy with “beautiful, black,

curly hair,” Shahinpour said.

“My babies don’t know,” she added. “I’m not going to tell them.”

Paula and Frank Floren’s grandchildren also played with Nicholas when

they were visiting.

“He likes to ride his bike, and they would play across our two yards,”

she said. “It’s just horrible. I just can’t take it in.”

The Minassian’s home stood vacant on Monday afternoon, with toys

peeking out from the end of the driveway and a wooden post bearing the

words, “Love Nest.”

A Realtor’s sign indicated the two-bedroom home is in escrow -- the

Minassians, with a second baby on the way, were readying to move,

neighbors said.

Pools pose a very real hazard, especially for children 4 and under,

Doyle said. More than 2,000 preschoolers drown nationwide every year --

half of those in home pools -- and CPR is an essential skill for parents

who own a pool, he added. Statistics on Glendale drownings were not

readily available.

“Even while there’s supervision, these things are going to occur,”

Doyle said. “Wherever there’s water, young children are going to be drawn

to it.”