A drowning incident in Ajax, Ont., on Tuesday evening resulted in the death of a three-year-old child, officials say.
Durham Regional Police said a drowning call came on Tuesday evening in the area of Rossland Road West and Harwood Avenue.
A three-year-old girl was pronounced dead at hospital, a tweet from police said.
“At this time we are requesting privacy for the family. Our thoughts are with the family and all emergency personnel,” Durham police said.
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In an update on Wednesday, police said the little girl was pulled from a backyard pool without vital signs.
The incident is a tragic reminder of the importance of water safety, one advocate said.
Stephanie Bakalar of the Life Saving Society of Ontario told Global News backyard pool deaths account for one-third of water deaths suffered by toddlers.
“This is an absolute tragedy, and our hearts go out to the families,” Bakalar said. “As a community, we need to work together to make sure water safety is top of mind.”
— with files from Global News’ Frazer Snowdon