Siblings, ages 2 and 4, drown in family pool deemed not safe for swimming, Ohio cops say

A pair of young siblings died Friday after they fell in their family’s algae-covered swimming pool, Ohio police say.

Police in Columbus say they were called to a home around 8:30 p.m. for a report of a drowning. Upon arriving, officers learned 2-year-old Prince Deer and 4-year-old Victoria Deer had been playing near the pool, police say.

First responders found the children unresponsive and they were taken to area hospitals. Within an hour, Prince and Victoria had both died, according to police.

The child’s mother was home during the incident, WSYX reported. The pool “was not safe for swimming,” officers told the TV station.

“It’s rainwater plus leaves plus algae. It’s muck,” Columbus Police Lt. Dan Hargus told The Columbus Dispatch of the in-ground pool, which he said only had water in the deep end.

A neighbor told the Dispatch he has not seen the pool taken care of for at least six years.

Columbus police continue to investigate the drownings. Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 614-645-4730.

This story was originally published June 7, 2021 at 6:40 AM with the headline "Siblings, ages 2 and 4, drown in family pool deemed not safe for swimming, Ohio cops say."