An 11-year-old boy died in hospital on Sunday evening after drowning in the Carp River, near Ottawa.
The boy was at the Carp River Conservation Area in Kanata with a friend when he entered the water just before 7 p.m., according to the Ottawa Police Service (OPS).
Emergency responders were notified by the boy’s friend, who called 911. According to the OPS, a passerby who was walking on the trails jumped into the water to help.
Ottawa firefighters pulled the boy out of the water and performed CPR at the scene. Police say that paramedics continued to attempt to resuscitate the boy while in the ambulance, but he was pronounced dead in the hospital.
This is the third water-related incident in the Ottawa area in the last few weeks, says Caroline Gallant, a constable with OPS’s marine, dive, and trail unit.
“It can literally take seconds for someone to slip under the water,” says Gallant. “Water is unpredictable.”
The most important thing you can do to stay safe in the water is wear a lifejacket or personal flotation device, says Gallant. She suggests a well-fitting, coast-guard approved life jacket to keep you afloat.
“Summers are short in Ottawa, so everyone wants to be out and enjoy the water,” she says. “We want to increase everyone’s chance of making it home.”
Police are asking anyone present in the area, anyone involved in the incident, or who have not yet spoken to police to contact the West Criminal Investigations Section at 613-236-1222, ext. 2666.
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