A heartbreaking tragedy has left a Tennessee family mourning after a 2-year-old girl died in an apparent accidental drowning at her home in Nashville. According to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, Viomara Laura Ortiz wandered into her family's backyard swimming pool while her father was preparing for a planned swim on Monday evening.
Authorities said Viomara's father had been getting ready to take his daughter swimming around 6 p.m. when she ran off as he changed clothes. After realizing she was missing, he spent several minutes searching the property before finding the toddler unresponsive in the backyard pool.
Investigators later reviewed video evidence, which showed the child had been in the water for approximately eight minutes before she was discovered. Her father immediately began CPR and rushed her to the nearest fire station, where emergency responders took over before transporting her to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. Despite lifesaving efforts, Viomara was pronounced dead.
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department's Youth Services Division is continuing to investigate what officials believe was an accidental drowning.
Neighbors recalled seeing numerous emergency vehicles arrive on Sadler Avenue Monday evening, though they initially did not know what had happened. After learning that a young child had died, one neighbor said the news was devastating.
"That makes me sick to my stomach. I had no idea there was a pool over there, let alone a younger baby or child," the neighbor told local media.
The tragic incident serves as another reminder of how quickly drowning can occur, especially among young children. Safety experts recommend constant adult supervision, secure self-latching pool fences, and multiple layers of water safety protection to help prevent similar tragedies.