Chicago, Ill. – Two separate Fourth of July drownings in suburban Chicago left one 5-year-old boy dead and another young girl in critical condition after both were pulled from private pools Friday evening.
According to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the 13000-block of Silver Fox Drive in unincorporated Lemont Township around 7:30 p.m., where a 5-year-old girl had fallen into a backyard pool. Lemont Fire paramedics began life-saving efforts before she was taken to Silver Cross Hospital, then transferred to Lurie Children’s Hospital in critical condition.
Just an hour earlier, first responders were called to the 100-block of Copperwood Drive in Buffalo Grove for an unresponsive child in a residential pool. Authorities say a 5-year-old boy, identified as a Plainfield resident, was pulled from the water and transported to Northwest Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Buffalo Grove Fire Department classified the case as a drowning incident, and local police are investigating.
Officials urge parents and guardians to remain vigilant near water, especially during holiday weekends. Install barriers, assign water watchers, and avoid distractions when children are swimming.
No additional updates have been released. Investigations remain active in both incidents.
