Police Identify 2-Year-Old Drowning Victim At Lake Whetstone

MONTGOMERY VILLAGE, MD — Montgomery County authorities have released the name of a 2-year-old boy who died after he was pulled from Lake Whetsone Friday evening. Police Captain Paul Starks said at an afternoon news conference that Malik Bojang was pronounced dead at an area hospital.

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services spokesman Pete Piringer said on Twitter that the incident happened about 7:30 p.m. at Montgomery Village Avenue and Lake Shore Drive, which is the Lake Whetstone area. The youngster was there with his family when a possible drowning call was made to 911.

A bystander pulled the boy from the water, and began CPR, with a police officer. Paramedics soon arrived to take over life-saving measures, but police said Bojang died at the hospital.

“A young child, a toddler, had been pulled from the water,” Piringer told WTOP. “Police were first to begin resuscitation efforts that were transferred over to arriving medics.”

The American Red Cross shared these water safety tips with Patch:

How To Stay Safe In the Water
Most people, from toddlers to senior citizens, love a dip in cool water on a hot day. Whether in a swimming pool, the ocean, a lake or stream — water on a hot summer day is alluring. Unfortunately, it can also be deadly.

Swimming Safety Tips:

• Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards
• Never leave a young child unattended near water and do not trust a child’s life to another child; teach children to always ask permission to go near water.
• If a child is missing, check the water first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability.
• Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone.
• Maintain constant supervision.
• Make sure everyone in your family learns to swim well. Enroll in age-appropriate Red Cross water orientation and learn-to-swim courses.
• If you have a pool, secure it with appropriate barriers. Many children who drown in home pools were out of sight for less than five minutes and in the care of one or both parents at the time.
• Have appropriate equipment, such as reaching or throwing equipment, a cell phone, life jackets and a first aid kit.
• Know how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.
• Enroll in Red Cross home pool safety, water safety, first aid and CPR/AED courses to learn how to prevent and respond to emergencies.
• Protect your skin. Limit the amount of direct sunlight you receive between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and wear sunscreen with a protection factor of at least 15.
• Drink plenty of water regularly, even if you’re not thirsty. Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine in them.

»Image via Shutterstock