A toddler who drowned in an inflatable pool has been described as a ‘sweet little boy’ by a heartbroken family friend.
Two-year-old Alex Grove was pulled from the water at his home in Morayfield, Queensland, on Tuesday morning and rushed to Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital. Sadly, in the early hours of this morning, the little boy’s life support was switched off and he died.
The tragedy comes after his father, Kieran Pye, died in 2015.
Family friend Ashlee Owen, told The Courier Mail that Alex was a ‘sweet little boy’.
‘He would always do cute little things like throwing his dummy in the air to heaven and asking his daddy to catch it,’ said Ashlee.
She said he called her ‘Aunty Ashlee’ and that he was her ‘best friend’.
‘I don’t know what I’ll do without him now,’ she added.
Ashlee told the newspaper that family members have been left traumatised after performing CPR on Alex to try and save his life.
A report is being prepared for the coroner.
The little boy’s death comes after a spate of drownings this summer, with 21 being recorded in NSW alone.
On Wednesday night, eight-year-old Tristan Mack was pulled from a Victorian Lake and sadly couldn’t be revived.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has the following safety tips for inflatable pools deeper than 300mm:
– Ensure active adult supervision at all times.
– Keep children within arm’s reach.
– Fencing laws apply to these pools so check requirements with your local council.