Young boy drowns in Thunderbird Farms South area

A young boy drowned in Thunderbird Farms South late Sunday according to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office. As of Tuesday morning, the name of the deceased had not yet been released.

PCSO Spokesperson Michael Minter said the child, who was reportedly 1 ½ years of age, was discovered inside a homemade water pond located in the rear yard of the residence in the 50900 block of West Val Vista Road. The case was turned over to homicide detectives.

The PCSO responded to a call at the residence just after 7 p.m. Sunday. According to Minter, CPR was performed on the child by relatives but to no avail.

The pond was approximately eight feet in width and level with the dirt ground. Minter indicated that the boy’s sister discovered her brother in the water. The girl reportedly said the child was still inside the water face up when he was discovered.

Minter said the boy’s mother noted that the family had returned from church and the children, eight in all, had gone inside the residence. The mother went to a detached building located in the rear of the residence, known as their office, while the father had gone inside to take a nap.

After rounding up the children a while later, it was discovered that the young boy was missing. The family reportedly then searched for the boy, and he was discovered in the pond. The scene was taped off with crime scene tape and secured with no one allowed near the pond.

The deceased was taken to the medical examiner’s office in Pima County. According to Minter, it will take about three weeks for the examiner’s report to be concluded.