PALM DESERT: Child dead after second fatal Coachella Valley pediatric drowning in two days

January 15, 2018 Trevor Montgomery

PALM DESERT — A girl died after being found in a back yard residential pool, Monday afternoon, Jan. 15. The incident happened on the 10 block of Merill Drive, along the south edge of Desert Willow Golf Resort, in Palm Desert. Merill Drive features seven homes, all of which have back yard pools.

SEE RELATED: INDIO: 1-year-old dies after being pulled from back yard pool

Monday’s fatal, pool-related incident was the second such death involving a child to happen in the Coachella Valley within two days. The other incident, reported just after noon, Sunday, Jan. 14, involved a one-year-old boy who died after being pulled from a back yard pool at a home in Indio.

Firefighters and other emergency first responders were dispatched to the Palm Desert home about 2:30 p.m., after emergency dispatchers received a 911 call reporting the drowning.

“The victim was found in the pool by a family member,” Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Rod LaBrecque explained after the tragic death.

When deputies assigned to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Palm Desert Police Station arrived at the home they began performing CPR until they were relieved by medical personnel.

The victim, a girl whose name and age have not yet been publicly released, was rushed by ground ambulance to an area hospital “where the child passed away,” Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire spokesperson April Newman explained in an incident report.

Riverside County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the drowning and their investigation is active and ongoing.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Palm Desert Police Department at (760) 836-1600. Callers can refer to incident file number T180150062 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

This is a developing story that will be updated as additional information becomes available.

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County to Shasta County, runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 27 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and has 13 children and 14 grandchildren.