Toddler Airlifted After Near-Drowning at Deerfield Beach Pool

A 3-year-old boy was flown to the hospital Sunday after falling into a pool at a neighborhood complex on Tivoli Circle in Deerfield Beach.

Witnesses said the child had been playing with a floating ring when it flipped and he slipped beneath the surface. A child who witnessed the incident told NBC6 that the boy did not know how to swim and was submerged for close to a minute.

A woman at the scene said the boy coughed up water and briefly opened his eyes, but then appeared to be losing consciousness, prompting his mother to call 911. The Broward Sheriff’s Office confirmed the child was breathing when fire rescue arrived and described the incident as a fall rather than a drowning. His condition was not immediately available.

Authorities used the incident as a reminder that drowning is among the leading causes of accidental death among children in South Florida. Officials urge parents to teach swimming skills early, designate a dedicated adult watcher during pool gatherings, and maintain constant visual contact with children near water.