Child in life-threatening condition after nearly drowning in Jacksonville retention pond

A boy is in life-threatening condition after he slipped into a retention pond Saturday in north Arlington.

Jacksonville police said during a briefing Saturday afternoon that at about 12:30 p.m. the 11-year-old boy was playing in a yard in the Monument Landing subdivision near McCormick Road before he slipped and fell into a retention pond across the street from the house.

Police said the boy tried to regain his footing before he fell face down in the water.

The boy spent up to 10 minutes in the water before a neighbor found him.

The neighbor performed CPR on the boy, police said.

Another neighbor, Chelsea Cardona, saw paramedics trying to help the boy. “I just hope he's OK. I know he was in there for a while so that just sucks,” Cardona said.

Neighbors said it’s possible the boy doesn’t live in the neighborhood and may have been visiting.

“It's just scary. I mean, you think your kids are in the next room and then you know they can just sneak out anytime,” Cardona said.

Cardona said even though her kids can swim, the incident makes her feel uneasy. “I mean (my child) loves to look for frogs in the pool. I'm comforted by the fact he can swim but no kid is drown proof,” she said.

The boy has since been taken to the hospital and no foul play or negligence is involved. They continue to investigate the incident.

Cox Media Group