2-year-old revived after near-fatal drowning in Sterling Heights

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. (FOX 2) - A scary moment in Sterling Heights ended happily after a 2-year-old that was found lifeless at the bottom of a pool was revived with the help of CPR from his parents and assistance from police.

The toddler was first recovered from his father and chest compressions started immediately. It helped the boy spit up some of the water and start gasping for breaths. Only after a responding officer applied some back blows to clear his airway did the child start breathing again normally.

"This incident happened a few days ago in our city. It was a fun pool party where everyone was enjoying the nice weather and having a good time," Police wrote on their Facebook page about the incident. "There were adults and children in the pool when the father of the child walked to the poolside and saw his 2-year-old son lifeless at the bottom."

The bodycam footage starts inside the officer's car. He's directed toward an opening through the fence into the family's backyard. There, parents can be seen crowded around a child whose lips had turned purple from a lack of oxygen.

The scary footage underscores how quickly things can change if a child falls in the water.

According to Sterling Heights police, the boy's father was just talking with his son minutes before he fell inside the water.

The officer arrived a minute after CPR was first administered. Identified as Officer Sears, the deputy then picked up the boy, flipped him over and gave several blows to the back to clear his airway. He then handed the child back to his father who met the fire department out front.

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He was then rushed to the hospital for further medical attention. He's since recovered.

Drowning is a major cause of death among young people. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says drowning is the number one cause of death among children ages 1-4. For every child that dies from drowning, there are seven more emergency department responses for non-fatal drowning.