He is the 20th person to drown in Quebec this year, with the tragedy triggering warnings about the importance of water safety. Longueuil Police (SPAL) were called to the house on Normandie Avenue around 4:10 p.m. Saturday’s. The first correspondents tried to revive the boy and he was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 5:00 pm. “The family is devastated by the events,” said SPAL spokesman François Boucher. Police say the family had a fence around the indoor pool and it is not clear how the four-year-old entered. “Research has so far shown that this was accidental in nature,” Bausse said. Raynal Hawkins is with the Quebec Lifeguard Company. With the pools starting to open all over the province, he warns the guardians not to take their children out even for a moment. “With infants it can happen in 15 to 20 seconds, it’s silent,” he said. Another tip is to keep children away from breathing space: “It’s like crossing the street. You always want to take the kids by the hand. This is the same reality as the backyard pool.” With files from the Canadian Press.
