Bartlett toddler dies after fall into pool

A 2-year-old Bartlett toddler has died after he fell into a backyard pool on June 14, officials said.

Edgar Fernandez fell into the pool Friday afternoon, said Bartlett Police Sgt. Geoff Pretkelis, adding police and paramedics were called to the home on the 200 block of East Country Drive at 1:40 p.m.

Fernandez was taken to St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates where he died at 6:03 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office. Preliminary cause of death following an autopsy was accidental drowning.

Pretkelis said no charges are expected. The Department of Child and Family Services is investigating.

An autopsy was performed Wednesday, but preliminary cause of death information has not yet been released.

According to a news release, the Bartlett tragedy was the fourth drowning report received by DCFS in the last week.

“A child can drown in seconds in as little as one inch of water,” said DCFS Spokesman Dave Clarkin. “For every child that drowns, five times as many require emergency medical care, often suffering life-altering brain injuries from memory loss to learning disabilities and paralysis or even a permanent vegetative state.”

“Children need to be constantly supervised whenever they are near water, and parents need to educate themselves to quickly recognize water hazards when they are in new surroundings,” Clarkin added.