Oxenford children’s party ends in tragedy as three-year-old rushed to hospital after near drowning

A three-year-old girl is in a coma after a near drowning incident at a children’s party on the Gold Coast that allegedly took place while other adults and children were using a jumping castle.

A three-year-old girl is in a coma at Gold Coast University Hospital after a near drowning incident at a children’s party.

It is alleged by police that a pool gate was left open at the party, allowing the youngster to access the pool while adults were supervising other children on a jumping castle.

Police and the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) were called to the scene of the incident at a home in Oxenford at about 2.45pm on Sunday.

A QAS spokesperson said a High Acuity Response Unit was among paramedics to attend the scene before the child was rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital in a life-threatening condition.

Gold Coast University Hospital. Picture: Mike Batterham.

CCTV footage of the incident recovered by police allegedly showed the three-year-old entering the pool area while other children and adults were at the jumping castle.

The child has attempted to reach for a floating mattress that was floating in the pool, but toppled in.

It is believed the three-year-old was at the bottom of the pool for a number of minutes before she was found by a man who pulled her out and resuscitated her, saving her life.

Acting Superintendent Scott Knowles. Picture: Keith Woods.

Acting Superintendent Scott Knowles from Gold Coast police said the girl was not breathing when she was pulled from the pool.

“The information that we’ve got to date is that there was a party there with several children and adults in attendance,” he said.

“What they’ve allegedly gone and done is actually left the pool gate open to allow the kids to move between the pool and the rest of the party.

“Whilst they were distracted at a nearby jumping castle – the adults and the other kids – the three-year-old has entered the pool area.

“From the CCTV footage that we’ve seen she has attempted to reach for an inflatable mattress that was floating in the pool and has toppled into the pool.

“It was several minutes later that the house owner located her at the bottom of the pool, grabbed her and pulled her back up.

“He had to resuscitate her, so she had actually stopped breathing.

“He’s managed to resuscitate her. She’s in a coma at the hospital. We don’t know the extent of the injuries at this point in time.”

The incident is being investigated by the Queensland Police Service’s Child Protection Investigation Unit.

Acting Supt Knowles said that with the onset of warmer weather it was a timely reminder to adults to ensure pools were properly secured.

“(The) message to everybody out there, especially with the warmer weather coming on, is make sure those gates are closed to the pool,” he said. “Make sure those large bodies of water are safe from young people.

“Please watch your kids, because this sort of tragedy, it can certainly be a lot worse than it is at the moment.

“Please be aware of pools and securing them.”

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Originally published as Oxenford children’s party ends in tragedy as three-year-old rushed to hospital after near drowning