2 Drownings Reported in Pinellas

Police departments in Pinellas County responded to two separate drowning calls Monday night, both of which resulted in death.

The first incident occurred in Clearwater where police were called out to a Countryside home around 5:30 p.m. after a mother returned home to find her adult daughter in the backyard pool.

When officers arrived at the 2684 Countryclub Drive home, they found Tammy Blanton in the pool. Her mother, Barbara Reed, 73, had tried to pull her daughter from the water, but was unable to, an email to media from the Clearwater Police Department stated.

When Reed realized she couldn’t get her daughter out of the pool, she called 911. Paramedics attempted life-saving measures, but Blanton was pronounced dead a short time later.

The second drowning was reported around 8 p.m. in Pinellas Park. There officers received a call from the 3700 block of 68th Avenue North. A 7-year-old boy was initially inside his home with two other children and several adults. When one of the adults noticed the boy wasn’t playing with the other two children, the adults began to look for him, an email from the Pinellas Park Police Department to media stated.

The search led to the backyard where the boy was found unresponsive in the pool. First aid was provided by one of the adults as rescue personnel were called in. The child was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The boy has been identified as Aston Beard. Police say Aston was autistic and suffered from seizures and have stated the death “appears to be a tragic accident.”

Image via Shutterstock