NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – The police report detailing the events of a possible drowning call at a North Myrtle Beach resort has been released.
North Myrtle Beach Public Information Officer Pat Dowling released the report Wednesday morning in regards to a 12-year-old boy being stuck in an intake pump in the lazy river at Avista Resort. Officers were called to the hotel, located at 300 North Ocean Boulevard, around 9:30 p.m. Monday night.
Officers were originally called for a possible drowning and when units arrived at the lazy river area of the Avista Resort, they found the boy “stuck underwater in what is believed to be the intake pump to the lazy river.” The report states that the boy was quickly “dislodged from the intake” and removed from the water.
In a previous report, Dowling explained that a 3-foot x 3-foot grate covering a 6-inch suction line within the lazy river had been removed, and the boy’s leg was sucked into the pipe. The police report describes the boy as approximately 4-feet tall, weighing about 80 pounds.
First responders began treating the young boy until fire and EMS crews arrived on scene and transported the child to the hospital, according to the report. The boy’s family was escorted to the hospital by a police officer.
The report lists four witnesses with whom officers spoke, all of whom were visiting North Myrtle Beach from out of state, but no witness statements are written on the report.
Dowling says the incident is still under investigation and additional information may be released at a later time. The young boy’s condition was not immediately known.
The Avista Resort has not yet released a statement regarding the removal of the protective grate or what changes have been made to the lazy river or its operation.