MEMORIAL FUND ESTABLISHED, DETAILS OF DROWNING REPORTEED
Harrisburg, PA – Mayor Stephen R. Reed today said a memorial fund has been established to cover the funeral costs for a 7-year-old who drowned in a closed, City-owned pool Wednesday night.
"My heart sank when learning of the incident," Reed said. "Our Parks System is a place of fun and joy for our children and families but not on Wednesday night. This is a terrible tragedy that saddens our entire community."
Contributions may be made payable to "City Treasurer" and sent to the Mayor’s Office at 10 N. 2nd Street, Harrisburg, PA, 17101. All contributions will be acknowledged and will be used solely for the boy’s funeral expenses. The boy and his mother are residents of Hall Manor and the family does not have the resources to cover the costs.
The victim is Timothy Kylee Moore, 7. He and two other boys, ages 6 and 8, were playing in a nearby playground, where a birthday party had been held and where adult supervision had been present.
Moore climbed the 8 foot fence to get into the pool area, took off his shoes and shirt, walked out onto the pool’s diving board and jumped in. He never resurfaced.
The two other boys, who did not climb the fence, began yelling when he did not surface and caught the attention of Alicia Fickles, 21, who was visiting from Georgia. She climbed the fence, went to the pool and observed bubbles coming to the water surface and called 911 Emergency personnel on her cell phone.
Two City Police officers were on scene within four minutes of the call. Officers Derek W. Fenton and Mark S. Fulton removed their gear and went into the water to find the boy.
Most of the pool was empty, having been drained of water at the end of last summer’s swim season. Recent rainfall had accumulated only at the pool’s deeper end and was about six feet deep and dark green in color, making visibility very limited. The officers could not find the boy.
Meanwhile, Fire and River Rescue personnel had been summoned and arrived on scene. Divers were used to continue the search and they found the victim, who was rushed to Harrisburg Hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. CPR had been applied en route to and at the hospital.
Reed said it is not known if the boy hit his head on the pool bottom when diving in.
The boy’s mother was at the scene while the rescue efforts were underway. She had been looking for him when the incident occurred to bring him home for supper.
The incident timeline is as follows:
7:46 p.m. – Police notified of incident
7:46 p.m. – Medics and Police dispatched
7:48 p.m. – County dispatch center advised to notify River Rescue to respond
7:50 p.m. – First two officers arrive
After the initial arrival of the first officers, Fire, River Rescue and other Police units arrived. At 8:36 p.m., the boy was found and transported to the hospital. At 9:13 p.m., the City was notified by the hospital the child was deceased.
Fire personnel remained on scene to pump out remaining water to see if there was any clothing or evidence related to the incident in the water. None was found.
The two officers who were in the water for a while were sent to Harrisburg Hospital for tetanus shots as a precaution.
Reed said the victim was a student at the nearby Foose School, as are his four siblings who are in school today. The District Crisis Team and counselors from Family Service Partners are at the school to help students and faculty affected by the loss. "There is much sadness in the school today," Reed said.
The pool, drained of water at the end of last summer’s season, is cordoned off by an 8 foot fence, with secured and locked gates, with posted signage against entering. Park rangers routinely stop by the pool area to check on it during their patrols. The fence and locked gates were fully in place Wednesday night.
Reed said the pool was once covered with a large tarp but that practice was discontinued because of safety concerns, ironically. When it was used, it looked like a trampoline and children would walk on it. The pool cover does not stop water from finding its way into the pool’s deeper end. The pool cover would trap children, adults and animals if they would fall through, preventing their escape and making it unlikely anyone nearby would hear or see them if needing help.
Reed said, "Life is precious to us. This is a tragic accident where a 7-year-old, with an adventurous spirit, has left us much too soon. We pray God’s blessing and comfort on his soul and on those of his family and friends."
|