AUSTIN (KXAN) — A child drowned at a neighborhood’s pool in Hutto Sunday, according to a city of Hutto spokesperson.
It happened at a pool off Great Western Drive. The only pool in that area, according to Google Maps’ satellite view, is associated with a neighborhood called the Park at Brushy Creek. The address of The Park at Brushy Creek matches the area of the pool, according to its website. Photos there also show a pool as an amenity.
KXAN has reached out to the neighborhood for comment and will update this story when we receive a response.
Hutto police are investigating what the city called a “tragic situation,” and said the child did not live in the Hutto area. The city could not provide more information Monday on when exactly it happened, the circumstances surrounding it or the age of the child.
A real estate listing for a nearby home shows a photo of a pool with a sign out front that says “Warning: No lifeguards on duty. Children not allowed to use pool without adult supervision.” The listing was last updated May 31. That same sign can also be seen in a May 2022 Google Street view image of the pool.
Drowning deaths in Texas
Data from 2018-2021 showed the age-adjusted rate for drownings was 1.44 per 100,000 people in Texas, higher than the national average of 1.31 per 100,000.
“More children ages 1-4 die from drowning than any other cause of death and it’s the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5-14,” according to the CDC.
The CDC emphasized drowning can happen to anyone in seconds and is “often silent.” Ways to prevent it in swimming pools include:
- Learning to swim (although it states “Children who have had swimming lessons still need close and constant supervision when in or around water.”)
- Having fences around pools and keeping them secure
- Closely supervising children, including having an adult dedicated to doing so who is able to pay full attention, even when lifeguards are present
- Wearing a life jacket
- Learning CPR
