Mother, toddler drown in Montreal swimming pool

A 34-year-old woman and her three-year-old son are dead after drowning in a residential swimming pool in Montreal’s Lachine borough Tuesday night.

First responders received a 911 call at 9:35 p.m. about the incident on 20e Avenue near Provost Street.

“They located two unresponsive persons,” said Caroline Chèvrefils, a spokesperson with Montreal police. “Paramedics performed CPR on both the victims, but unfortunately, they were pronounced dead at the scene.”

She adds that investigators determined that there was “no criminal element” in the incident.

“It was an accident,” Chèvrefils affirmed.

A source told CTV News it seems he boy fell in first and his mother jumped in after him but could not swim.

The file has been transferred to the coroner’s office.

The neighbourhood is in shock. People say they last saw the mother and her toddler at a parade.

“I’m traumatized by this. I mean it’s unbelievable that things like that can happen,” said Mike Mymryk.

Carol and Derrick Majeur said they didn’t expect such a tragedy to happen down the street.

“How would I feel if that was one of my grandchildren? I would be very, very, very sad. I don’t, so I can imagine how the family is feeling right now,” said Carol.

“To hear something happen to a nice, happy family, it’s pretty saddening,” added Derrick.

Lachine Mayor Maja Vodanovic posted on social media, saying the accident was “the worst nightmare.”

“It was a ball that fell into the in-ground pool that triggered a series of events that led to the drowning of the 3-year-old child and his 34-year-old mother, who tried to save him but unfortunately could not swim,” she said.