11-year-old Chicago girl drowns in McHenry pool

A final summer fling turned tragic Sunday afternoon after an 11-year-old Chicago girl drowned in the backyard swimming pool of a home in McHenry.

Tyrianna Jordan, 11, of Chicago was visiting family friends for a holiday barbecue and swimming at the home at 513 Stratford Court.

Witnesses told police Jordan, who could not swim, was holding on to the edge of the pool when she lost her grip and slipped under water at about 3 p.m.

"She had walked around the ledge in the pool to the deep end," said Teneva Colles, a family friend who owns the home with her husband, James. "All I can think is that the baby’s foot slipped and she panicked."

Detective Sgt. John Jones said an adult at the party called 911 and another screamed for help. There were five adults at the party, but only one could swim.

Colles said Jordan attempted to grab on to her husband, Jim, when she slipped, dragging him under.

"My husband can swim, but there was nothing he could do," said Colles. "He almost drowned, too. We felt so helpless."

Others at the scene tried unsuccessfully to reach Jordan with items such as a broom.

A neighbor, an off-duty McHenry police officer, heard the screams and rushed to the scene. The officer pulled Jordan from the water and began CPR immediately.

Jones, who would not release the name of the off duty officer, said Jordan was unresponsive and had been under water for about four minutes before the officer arrived.

McHenry Township Fire and Rescue transported the girl to Northern Illinois Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.

Relatives of the victim could not be reached for comment Monday.

Colles said four children were in the pool, including Jordan who would have turned 12 later this month.

Colles said her husband had taught their grandchildren how to swim almost a month ago and the children would often visit to "cool off." Jordan had swum at the pool just last week.

"We had planned this last week as the last swim for the kids and a barbecue," Colles said. "The last bash for the summer turned out to be a horror movie."

McHenry police are continuing to investigate. Kim Bostick of the McHenry County Coroner’s Office said there were no signs of trauma and the cause of death was consistent with a drowning.

Funeral information has not been released.