Jun 25

Jun 25 Sheriff's office: Baby in critical condition after falling into plastic water tub

A one-year-old boy is in critical condition after falling into a plastic water tub outside a family's home in east Olmsted County.

The incident, which is being described as an accident, happened just before 10 a.m. Wednesday in the city of Dover. The name of the child is being withheld to respect the privacy of the family.

The boy was not breathing at the time he was discovered. Both the child's mother and emergency responders performed CPR on the child. He was airtlifed by Mayo One to St. Marys Hospital, where he is listed in critical condition.

Capt. Scott Behrns of the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office said at news conference Thursday that the child was breathing by the time the helicopter arrived.

A preliminary investigation has determined the boy was outside playing with his four siblings prior to the incident. When the mother called the children into the house, she noticed the one-year-old was missing.

An eight-year-old sibling of the victim later found him lying in a water basin.

According to the sheriff's office, the children were not believed to be outside for more than five minutes. The oldest child was nine years old.

The round plastic tub — approximately 17 inches in height and 18 inches in diameter — was used by the kids to wash their feet before entering the home. The water in the tub was about 6 1/2 inches deep.

The family just recently put the water tub outside the home after purchasing a new sandbox for the victim's first birthday.

Behrns said the family has been "extremely cooperative" throughout the entire process, especially considering the difficult circumstances. The sheriff's office will provide an update on the child's condition when it becomes available.