The Ontario Provincial Police say a three-year-old girl has died after drowning at a popular beach in Prince Edward County.
Police said it was around 5:30 p.m. Thursday when they responded to a beach area at Sandbanks Provincial Park.
The girl had gone missing while playing with family members in a shallow area of the water, OPP said, adding she was found by bystanders before emergency crews arrived.
She was rushed to hospital by paramedics.
“Despite resuscitation efforts, the child was pronounced deceased,” OPP said.
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Police said they would not release the identity of the child out of respect for the family’s privacy but confirmed to Global News the child was a female.
Several drowning incidents reported in Ontario this summer
The OPP have put out several press releases regarding drownings across the province this summer.
Just this week, the OPP reported that 10 people have died in marine incidents in eastern Ontario so far this summer — more than double the number recorded by this time last year. OPP said in every case, the victim was not wearing a life jacket.
The warning comes amid a series of devastating incidents that have already taken place in Ontario waters.
At a provincial park beach in Lake Erie, a 35-year-old man from Woodstock, Ont., drowned while trying to save his daughter. His body was recovered the following day.
In another tragic drowning, an 18-year-old swimmer was pulled from Ipperwash Beach unresponsive and later died in hospital.
Then, just days later, a 44-year-old man died after diving from a boat into shallow water, the second fatality there in the same week.
Police have emphasized the importance of life jackets and water safety.
— With files from Global News’ Prisha Dev
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