Baby Drowns At Recreation Center In Mission Viejo

MISSION VIEJO (CBSLA) — An investigation has been launched Monday after a 1-year-old boy drowned at a recreation and fitness center in Mission Viejo.

Paramedics were called to the Sierra Recreation and Fitness Center, 26887 Recodo Lane, at about 6 p.m. Sunday. The child was taken to a hospital, where the baby was pronounced dead.

Authorities say the parents of the infant were on hand, as were friends, and lifeguards were on duty at the time of the drowning.

The center remained closed Monday morning, and people coming to exercise were shocked to hear the news.

Joan Zerg was one of the residents who had come early to the center to swim, and said she was devastated for the mother of the child.

"No matter how much of an accident it was, she will never get over it," Zerg said.

So far this year there have been 18 drownings and 17 near-drownings at pools in Orange County, the Orange County Fire Authority said. Of those 35 cases, 15 involved children up to 4 years old, and in five of those cases, the victims died.

(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)