3-year-old girl dies, another hospitalized after floatation devices come off and they go underwater in Florida pool party
TAMPA, FLORIDA: A three-year-old girl has died and another four-year-old girl had to be hospitalized after their floatation devices slipped off and they went underwater during a pool party in Florida.
The tragic incident came to light after deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office responded to the Wexford Park Apartments located at 8203 Down Royal Road in Tampa at around 5 pm on Saturday, September 28, according to a press release.
A family had been hosting a pool party in the apartment pool, and approximately 10 children, including the two victims, three-year-old Harmony Williams and four-year-old Giaonna Chavalier, along with three adults were in attendance.
At some point during the party, Harmony and Gioanna reportedly took off their floatation devices while playing in the water even though they did not know how to swim.
According to witnesses, by the time adults realized that the two girls had gone under the water, several people had rushed to help.
They were pulled out of the water, and CPR was administered until Emergency Medical Services arrived at the scene. Both girls were transported to the Tampa General Hospital, where Harmony was later declared dead.
Giaonna was initially listed as being in critical condition, though the HCSO revealed that, as of Monday, she was alert, breathing, and expected to make a full recovery.
Speaking about the incident, resident Addison Vicedo told WTSP that he rushed from his apartment when he heard the commotion and saw the two young girls lying by the pool.
"I figured it was kids playing at first and then I realized that those screams didn’t sound too right," he said. "I noticed that everyone was there panicking and the mother was in tears so I just told myself not to panic because I could do something," he continued.
"I started giving CPR to [Giaonna] and then I noticed that… she did have a pulse and she would make it." No charges have been filed against anyone in connection to the incident.