Tragedy struck at a Southwest Miami-Dade home when a 5-year-old boy fell into a swimming pool and drowned. Now his cousin is speaking out about how his family is trying to cope with this devastating loss.
It has been two days since Mario Chavez was pulled unresponsive from the water at a home in the area of Southwest 148th Avenue and 168th Terrace.
On Saturday, his cousin, Jermaine Anthony Walker, spoke with 7News.
“I couldn’t believe it, I still can’t believe it,” he said. “He was very smart. We’re heartbroken.”
Loved ones are still struggling to accept that Chavez, who was affectionately known as “little man,” is gone.
“He was full of joy. He brought us happiness,” said Walker.
Chavez was found unresponsive in the pool at his family’s home at around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Walker said he was watching TV with one family member, while those who were supposed to be keeping watch on the boy were not.
“People were watching him to make sure there was no way he could go to the pool, so the other two people who were watching him, they dozed off and weren’t watching him,” he said.
Neighbors quickly responded. One of them did what she could to help.
“My neighbor that administered the CPR, both of us being parents, I know she sounded a little distraught with the idea. We weren’t sure whether or not the little boy had made it or not,” said an area resident. “You know, she did what she could to try to be helpful.”
Chavez was airlifted to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A GoFundMe page was created to help his family.
Walker offered some words of warnings to families with young children.
“You’ve got to have a team. When you’ve got kids around, you all got to work as a team,” he said. “Anything can happen when you’re not watching a kid.”
According to the GoFundMe appeal, the child’s mother and grandmother were hospitalized after the incident.
If you would like to make a donation, click here.
