Boy, 2, drowns in pool cover

6/26/2002

A 2-year-old boy drowned Monday in Waterville Township on a covered pool that had accumulated water.

Hunter Cousino, 170 Concord Ave., Waterville, the youngest of three, was at his grandmother's two-story home at 6131 North River Rd. about 6:15 p.m. He left the upstairs to find his mother, township police Chief Bonnie Hearndon said.

“He got outside unnoticed and got on the pool,” Chief Hearndon said. “It's very uncommon for something like this to happen.”

The boy drowned in an above-ground pool with a deck.

During an autopsy yesterday, the boy's death was ruled accidental, Diane Barnett, Lucas County deputy coroner, said.

“He was on top of the pool, and he drowned in water collected on top of the cover,” Dr. Barnett said. “It was enough to submerge him. It was quite a bit of water.”

Other children were at the home and playing by the Maumee River.

An unidentified 15-year-old boy found the boy face-down on the pool. It had not been opened for the season, the chief said.

The grandmother, Connie Sterling, immediately called 911. He was flown to Toledo Hospital and arrived about 6:47 p.m. He was pronounced dead eight minutes later.