Boy, 10, Drowns Overnight At Park Forest Aqua Center: Police

PARK FOREST, IL — The Park Forest Police Department is investigating the drowning death of a 10-year-old boy they say was reported missing overnight before being found in a pool inside the Aqua Center after hours. Park Forest police said the department was dispatched to a home just before 4 a.m. Tuesday on a report of a missing juvenile, when they say family members reported the boy had been playing in the area of Central Park.

Police said while they searched for the missing boy, family members checking the area alerted officers to the child in a facility pool, after finding his clothes outside of one of the pools.

That's when an officer climbed the perimeter fence and went in the pool to recover the boy and perform CPR, before the child was rushed to Franciscan Health Olympia Fields. The child was later pronounced dead, according to police.

The Aqua Center will remain closed on Tuesday, July 3. It's owned by the Village of Park Forest and managed by Jeff Ellis Management.

Police said the Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigation Unit responded to the scene, as this remains an active death investigation.

PFPD investigating drowning death of a 10-yr-old juvenile who entered the Aqua Center after hours, overnight. Full release posted on our FB page. Our sincerest condolences to friends and family of the child on this tragic loss.
— Park Forest Police (@ParkForestPD) July 3, 2018

"While any death is reason to grieve, the death of a child is particularly troubling, and the Park Forest Police Department offers its sincerest condolences to the loved ones and friends of the juvenile," the department said in a Facebook post.

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