WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -
The family of a 6-year-old girl who was found unconscious in a public pool and pronounced dead at the hospital Friday is still trying to piece together what happened. On Monday, the Forsyth County medical examiner's office said preliminary autopsy results indicated the girl died of accidental drowning.
The victim, Ja'Nae Nicole McCullum, had gone to the Kimberley Park pool with a group of 20 other children from the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club on Friday afternoon. Around 3:30 p.m., someone noticed Ja'Nae was at the bottom of the pool, her great grandmother, Betty Fowler, told FOX8 News.
"Some swimmer saw her on the bottom of the pool and went down to get help," she said. "(They) don't know how long she was down there."
Investigators said Monday there were eight lifeguards and two adult chaperones from the Salvation Army at the pool at the time of the drowning. Capt. David Clayton, a spokesman for the Winston-Salem Police Department, said there were between 30 and 35 people swimming in the pool at the time. Twenty-one of them were with the Boys and Girls Club.
Clayton said the preliminary investigation indicates the death was not the result of negligence.
Police said lifeguards pulled her from the water and immediately started CPR around 3:30 p.m. Emergency workers rushed the child to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
"She was a very loving, loving, loving child," said Fowler. "She always liked to hug you and kiss you."
Fowler said she had no idea the Salvation Army was taking Ja'Nae and 20 other children to the pool Friday. She thought the group was going to a water park.
She said she's at a loss for exactly how her great granddaughter went unnoticed.
"I can't comment on that, because I really don't know the circumstances around the pool until we really get some answers," she said. "There's a lot of questions, but there are no answers."
Winston-Salem Public Pools Director Dick Butler said his staff is conducting its own investigation in addition to the official police investigation. He would not comment on the case except to say it's been tough on his staff and some of the lifeguards were not working Monday because of the emotional toll of the death Friday.
Fowler said Ja'Nae was supposed to start swimming lessons this week: "She was a precious little angel, and that is what I will remember: her little smiling face."
The victim, Ja'Nae Nicole McCullum, had gone to the Kimberley Park pool with a group of 20 other children from the Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club on Friday afternoon. Around 3:30 p.m., someone noticed Ja'Nae was at the bottom of the pool, her great grandmother, Betty Fowler, told FOX8 News.
"Some swimmer saw her on the bottom of the pool and went down to get help," she said. "(They) don't know how long she was down there."
Investigators said Monday there were eight lifeguards and two adult chaperones from the Salvation Army at the pool at the time of the drowning. Capt. David Clayton, a spokesman for the Winston-Salem Police Department, said there were between 30 and 35 people swimming in the pool at the time. Twenty-one of them were with the Boys and Girls Club.
Clayton said the preliminary investigation indicates the death was not the result of negligence.
Police said lifeguards pulled her from the water and immediately started CPR around 3:30 p.m. Emergency workers rushed the child to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
"She was a very loving, loving, loving child," said Fowler. "She always liked to hug you and kiss you."
Fowler said she had no idea the Salvation Army was taking Ja'Nae and 20 other children to the pool Friday. She thought the group was going to a water park.
She said she's at a loss for exactly how her great granddaughter went unnoticed.
"I can't comment on that, because I really don't know the circumstances around the pool until we really get some answers," she said. "There's a lot of questions, but there are no answers."
Winston-Salem Public Pools Director Dick Butler said his staff is conducting its own investigation in addition to the official police investigation. He would not comment on the case except to say it's been tough on his staff and some of the lifeguards were not working Monday because of the emotional toll of the death Friday.
Fowler said Ja'Nae was supposed to start swimming lessons this week: "She was a precious little angel, and that is what I will remember: her little smiling face."
