PALM COAST, Fla. -- A 10-month-old baby girl drowned a family pool in Palm Coast on Thursday.
- 10-month-old girl drowns in pool
- Officials say someone left door open, baby crawled out
- WaterSafe 2018 event to be held at 9 a.m. Saturday
The Flagler County Sheriff's deputies said the family was cooking, and someone opened the door to air out the house. That's when the baby crawled out and entered the pool.
First responders don't know how long the baby was underwater. They worked to save her, but it was too late.
Pediatric nurse Wendy Morris has seen the deaths of children firsthand and stresses to other parents to take precautions.
She says she brings her children to a public pool often. Because we're surrounded by water here in Florida, her kids are always ready to jump in.
“There’s water everywhere, everywhere you turn around," Morris said.
Two years ago, a 2-year-old drowned in her family's pool not far away.
"You just have to watch them constantly, because it takes no time -- they're underwater in a matter of seconds," Morris said.
Those are seconds that Flagler County Fire Chief Don Petito said a guardian doesn't have.
"The message is huge. A 10-month-old child doesn't know any better. It’s up to the adults to supervise their children around any type of body of water. It could be a bath tub, five-gallon bucket of water or pool," Petito said.
Last year, Florida led the nation with 51 child drowning deaths in pools. So far this year, there are already 29 across the state.
"Get your kids swimming. Have them in the water, get them used to the water, make them aware that the water can be dangerous," Morris said. "Make them aware of what the water rules are, and you don't go in water without Mom and Dad or an adult."
The Florida Department of Children and Families has opened a child death investigation into Thursday's drowning.
"It's heartbreaking because it's preventable. You can't place blame on the parents. It takes a matter of seconds, and the next thing you know the child is out of sight," Morris said.
The county's big water safety event is Saturday. WaterSafe 2018 will be from 9 a.m. to noon at the Belle Terre Swim & Racquet Club on Patricia Lane in Palm Coast.