2-year-old girl drowns in Arkansas pool, police say; death ruled accidental

A 2-year-old girl drowned Sunday in a northeast Arkansas pool, police say, and her death has been ruled accidental.

An officer was called around 8 a.m. that day to a residence in Jonesboro, according to a report from the city’s Police Department. The exact address was redacted.

A 27-year-old woman told police that she woke up around 7:15 a.m. and went into the girl’s room to check on her. After seeing the child in bed, she began getting ready for church, an officer noted.

About 20 minutes later, the woman reportedly went back into the room, at which point she noticed the girl was missing.

Police said a back door was found cracked open, and the child was found lying face down in a backyard in-ground pool near a ladder.

The door to the back screened-in porch had two latches that had been secured the night before, the 27-year-old said. An officer noted that a "doggie door" was large enough for a medium-size dog or a small child to go through.

Two witnesses, who were not identified, performed CPR until medical personnel arrived and took the 2-year-old to the hospital.

Authorities later went to St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro, where the child was pronounced dead around 8:25 a.m. Sunday, the report states.

The case is no longer under investigation and has been ruled accidental, according to police.

Upcoming Events