Ottawa police say a six-year-old boy died after being found in the water near Mooney’s Bay on Thursday evening. According to a news release from police, the child was reported missing near Riverside Drive and Hog’s Back Road at approximately 5:10 p.m. The child was later found in the waters of the Rideau River and brought to shore where bystanders began lifesaving efforts. Ottawa Paramedic Service spokesperson Marc-Antoine Deschamps says paramedics were called to the scene around 5:30 p.m. Deschamps says the child, a six-year-old boy, was in cardiac arrest and paramedics attempted resuscitation. The boy was later pronounced dead in hospital. “Our thoughts are with the child’s family, loved ones, witnesses, and all those affected by this heartbreaking incident,” Ottawa police said in a statement. “Support services have been made available to the child’s family and the emergency personnel involved in the response.” On Friday afternoon, Deschamps said that drownings can happen very quickly. “One thing that people don’t realize is that drowning happens in extreme silence. You don’t hear the person scream, you don’t hear the person cough, you don’t hear the splash of water. It’s a very deadly silence, that’s what makes it so deadly,” he said. “These are very difficult to hear. They happen so quickly, and they’re tough on our staff because you come to work trying to make a difference, and it doesn’t always work out.” Sean Duffy with the Canadian Lifesaving Society says as summer approaches and more people look to spent time near open bodies of water, it must be done safely. “It’s very important to know your environment and choose a safer option. We always say the safest place to swim is to swim near a lifeguard,” Duffy said. “In the absence of a supervised environment, put your children in lifejackets and supervise them directly and within arm’s reach at all times around the water. Life jackets save your life. They keep you floating at the surface, they give you time.” Duffy says it’s essential to understand the area and the potential dangers, including current and undertow. He also says everyone — from children to adults — should take swimming lessons. “You’ll learn skills on how to support yourself in the water that can save your life, but you’ll also learn awareness and parents of children will learn the risk factors and how to make safer choices to keep them and their family safe in and around the water,” he said. In a post on social media, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said he is “devastated to hear of the tragic loss of a six-year-old child in Ottawa this evening.” “My thoughts are with the family, loved ones, and everyone affected by this heartbreaking event,” Sutcliffe said. The Ottawa Police Service says an investigation is underway. With files from CTV’s Tyler Fleming.
