Columbia Valley RCMP and the BC Ambulance Service responded to a drowning incident involving a 2-year-old child at a local campsite on Friday, June 10, 2011.

At around 6:40 p.m. Friday, the Columbia Valley RCMP was dispatched to assist the BC Ambulance Services with a report of the drowning at the Cartwright Lake recreational site.  Emergency response personnel met up with the family on Hwy. 95 just north of Edgewater, after the parents drove out to meet first responders with the father performing CPR  while his wife drove into cell range to call 911. Columbia Valley Detachment member performed CPR on the unresponsive infant until the BC Ambulance attended and continued to assist paramedics on their arrival.  The child was then transported to Invermere Hospital via ambulance.

Emergency room staff provided life supporting care to the child until a STARS Air Ambulance helicopter from Calgary was able to attend the Invermere Airport.  The boy was then air lifted to the Children’s Hospital in Calgary by STARS.

Medical staff at the Calgary’s Children’s hospital provided emergency medical care to the child throughout the night.  Unfortunately their continued efforts were unsuccessful and the child was pronounced deceased in the early morning hours of June 11.

Cpl. Moskaluk advises the investigation thus far revealed the typical summer camping scene, with the family along with four children and friends setting up camp for the weekend. The family lost sight of the second youngest of the four boys briefly.  The child was quickly located just feet from the shore after having fallen into the shallow water.

The family is from Invermere and has requested that the media and the public respect their wishes for privacy at this time in order to deal with their overwhelming grief.

The RCMP and the BC Cornoners Services continue to investigate this matter and have not released the name of the family involved.

Cpl. Dan Moskaluk

with assistance of the Columbia Valley detachment