2-year-old drowns after wandering away from nearby football field, Utah police say

A search for a missing 2-year-old found the boy’s body in a nearby canal, Utah police reported.

The child wandered off from a football field where his father was helping coach at about 8:20 a.m. on Friday, July 7, Spanish Fork police said in a news release.

A camera showed the boy leaving the field at the American Leadership Academy, police said.

At 10:13 a.m., searchers found the child submerged in an irrigation canal about a quarter-mile from the football field, police said. He could not be revived.

Spanish Fork is about 50 miles south of Salt Lake City.

What to know about drowning

At least 4,000 people die from drowning every year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and drowning is a leading cause of death for children.

Some factors can make drowning more likely, including not knowing how to swim, a lack of close supervision, not wearing a life jacket and drinking alcohol while recreating near or in water.

The National Drowning Prevention Alliance said there are tips to help keep you safe in the water, including checking local weather conditions, never swimming alone and choosing the right equipment.

“Don’t hesitate to get out of the water if something doesn’t feel right,” the group said on its website. “Whether it’s that the current is getting rough, rain has started to fall, or your body is just not responding like you would like it to due to fatigue or muscle cramps, then just leave and return to the water another day. It’s always a good thing to trust your instincts.”

This story was originally published July 10, 2023 at 10:05 AM with the headline "2-year-old drowns after wandering away from nearby football field, Utah police say."