7-year-old boy drowns in Sandpoint

A 7-year-old boy drowned Tuesday afternoon near the Popsicle Bridge in Sandpoint.

Sandpoint Police received a report of a missing boy at about 2 p.m., according to a news release by the city. Family had last seen the child sitting on the rocks at the edge of Sand Creek. He was not wearing a life vest.

Fire and EMS responded along with Bonner County Sheriff’s deputies to start searching for the child who was not visible from the shoreline or bridge.

Members of the sheriff’s office dive team eventually found the boy in 12 to 15 feet of water. Family members said the boy did not know how to swim, according to the city.

Bonner County EMS began life-saving measures, but the boy was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.

“We want to remind everyone that a person can begin to drown in less than twenty seconds,” said Sandpoint Police Chief Corey Coon, in a statement. “Swimming in natural bodies of water requires more knowledge and additional skills than using a swimming pool. Many of our bodies of water, including Sand Creek, have deep holes and debris that can’t be seen from the surface.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, drowning is the fifth leading cause of unintentional deaths of children 14 and under.