A 14-month-old girl playing in a spa...
LAGUNA HILLS — A 14-month-old girl playing in a spa with an older sister nearly drowned late Saturday after slipping under the water for a full minute, officials said.
The girl was treated by paramedics at her home in the 25200 block of Orellano Drive about 7:30 p.m. and taken to Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in Laguna Hills where she was reported to be in stable condition. She was to remain in the hospital overnight for observation, said Capt. Scott Brown of the Orange County Fire Authority.
The incident underscores the importance of adult supervision when children are near pools and spas, Brown said.
There were no adults in or near the spa when the girl slipped under the water, said Brown, who said the situation was similar to dozens of drownings and near-drownings reported last year.
“It happens in seconds,” said Brown, who is coordinating a Fire Authority campaign to prevent such deaths. Last year, 15 children died by drowning in Orange County.
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