Good Samaritan tried to save 2-year-old who drowned

A good Samaritan tried to save a 2-year-old from drowning in a neighborhood pond, but tragically, it was too late.

The little boy drowned near the Retreat at Vista Lake apartments, and it’s still uncertain why or how the child got into the water.

• READ MORE: 2-year-old dies after drowning in pond; now under investigation

WINK talked to a neighbor who tried to save the child.

Samantha Quinones said her daughter Serenity was only on this playground for about 30 minutes Saturday afternoon before she got a call from her saying she saw a toddler floating in a nearby pond.

Quinones said she jumped into her car, drove to the scene, and in less than 10 minutes, was on the phone with 911 and performing CPR.

She said as she rushed to the scene with her 7-year-old son, all that was going through her mind was that she hoped she could save this child.

Quinones is a trained EMT, so she knew she might have to perform CPR, but nothing could have prepared her for what she saw in her community over the weekend.

“When I got there, the baby was already pulled out of the pond, and he was laid out on the floor, and everybody was surrounding him. I immediately called 911, and as I’m calling 911, I’m giving — trying to give CPR to the baby as well, which when I arrived, also, the baby wasn’t in proper position, so I fixed the baby’s position and then started performing CPR, as I’m talking to 911,” she said.

Quinones said that she is traumatized. She said she feels that she is thinking of the baby most of the day.

Unfortunately, Quinones’ efforts, along with others on the scene, were unsuccessful as the child passed away.

Now, neighbors like Quinones have several questions, like how this could happen and why there aren’t more barriers separating the playground from the pond.