Authorities in Pennsylvania have confirmed the tragic death of a 3-year-old boy who drowned in a residential swimming pool in Northampton County. The incident was reported around 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 3, according to Lehigh County Coroner Daniel Buglio. Despite resuscitation efforts and hospitalization, the child succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead on Monday, July 7, at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest.
The coroner’s office ruled the death accidental, citing complications of drowning as the official cause after a full autopsy. The child’s name and the exact location of the incident have not been released to the public to protect the family’s privacy. However, Colonial Regional Police—whose jurisdiction covers Lower Nazareth and Hanover townships—responded to the original emergency call.
“My heart aches for the parents, family, and friends of the child,” Buglio stated in his release. “My entire office joins me in offering thoughts, prayers and condolences.”
The tragic loss of a toddler to drowning is a heartbreaking reminder of just how quickly accidents can occur around water, especially for children under the age of 5. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drowning is the leading cause of unintentional death for children ages 1–4 in the United States.
In many cases, these drownings happen at private residences—often when the child slips away from supervision for just a few minutes. Unlike in movies, drowning is silent and can occur in less than 30 seconds. The absence of splashing or screaming makes it all the more dangerous, especially in backyard settings where adults may be present but momentarily distracted.
While accidents can happen anywhere, homeowners with swimming pools bear a legal and moral responsibility to ensure that their pools are inaccessible to unsupervised children. That includes implementing and maintaining appropriate safety measures such as:
Four-sided isolation fencing separating the pool from the house and yard
Self-closing, self-latching gates out of a child’s reach
Alarms on doors, gates, and pools to alert adults to unauthorized access
Readily available rescue equipment and a posted emergency action plan
Adult supervision at all times when children are near water
Even in neighborhoods with watchful communities, these precautions are essential. A lapse of just a few minutes can have irreversible consequences.
While Coroner Buglio ruled the boy’s death accidental, this classification does not preclude a civil investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident. In wrongful death or premises liability cases involving young children, courts and attorneys often assess whether the property owner acted responsibly.
Important questions may include:
Was the pool enclosed or left accessible?
Was the child able to gain access without adult knowledge?
Were local pool safety regulations followed?
Was supervision present or absent at the time?
If it is found that safety protocols were missing, ignored, or violated, surviving family members may have legal grounds to pursue a civil claim. Though no legal action can undo the loss, holding negligent parties accountable may help provide financial relief and enforce better safety standards moving forward.
At Aquatic Attorneys, we represent families who have suffered the unimaginable pain of losing a loved one to a drowning accident. Led by nationally recognized trial attorney Michael Haggard, Esq., our firm specializes in swimming pool injury and wrongful death cases caused by negligent supervision, inadequate safety features, or code violations.
We provide compassionate legal support while aggressively investigating every aspect of a drowning event—from property safety to compliance with local regulations. Our mission is to bring justice to grieving families and promote awareness that prevents future tragedies.
If your family has experienced the loss of a child due to a pool accident, we are here for you. Contact Aquatic Attorneys today for a free and confidential consultation. We will help you understand your rights and take the first step toward healing and accountability.
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