Girl, 4, drowns in pond at Chilliwack, B.C., leisure centre: RCMP

RCMP in Chilliwack, B.C., say a four-year-old girl has drowned in a pond at a leisure centre.

Police say they received a report of the drowning at the water park of the Chilliwack Landing Leisure Centre around 8 p.m. PT Monday night. 

They say emergency responders, including officers, paramedics and firefighters, all responded to the call.

Police say the girl had been pulled out of the water by family members and bystanders had begun CPR when they arrived.

They say the child was brought to the hospital, where she died. 

"Everyone did everything they could to try and save this young girl," said B.C. RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Brett Urano in an interview.

"Our deepest, deepest condolences are with the family and friends and those who witnessed this event during this heartbreaking time ... we also extend our gratitude to all those who assisted this family and this young girl in attempting to save her life."

Urano said the pond was a landscaping feature outside the leisure centre, and was not a designated swimming area.

He added that police are looking into the circumstances of the drowning. Criminality is not suspected.

B.C. Emergency Health Services says it dispatched two ambulances and an advanced care paramedic response unit to the drowning just before 7 p.m. PT on Monday, and took one person to hospital.

Chilliwack Mayor Ken Popove was unavailable for an interview Tuesday, but called the drowning "absolutely devastating" in an emailed statement.

"Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends affected by this tragic accident," he said.

Urano is urging parents to be be vigilant when kids are around water.

As of Tuesday, the Lifesaving Society of B.C. and Yukon says there have been 24 drowning deaths in the province and territory so far this year.

It says drowning is the most common cause of accidental death for children aged one to four.