The death of a 3-year-old boy who was pulled from a shallow pond in a Savannah park Tuesday afternoon has been ruled “suspicious” by police, the Savannah Morning News reported.

The child, who has not been identified, was discovered by bystanders just before 2:40 p.m. in Daffin Park, authorities told the newspaper. He was taken to the hospital in serious condition, but later pronounced dead.

Officials said the 3-year-old was with a babysitter and other children when he ran into the water, which is only about 2 feet deep.

He was pulled from the pond after a man spotted him and alerted a group of Blessed Sacrament Catholic School teachers, who were visiting the park with a group of students, according to the Morning News. One teacher took part in the attempted rescue, the school’s principal said.

An official cause of death has not been determined, but the boy’s body was turned over to the GBI for an autopsy, Chatham County Coroner Bill Wessinger told the newspaper. The autopsy report likely won’t be available for several weeks, he said.

The investigation into the child’s death is ongoing

In other news:

Disney's new movie based on Zoo Atlanta gorilla

About the Author

Keep Reading

An aerial image shows part of John A. White Park taken on Wednesday, July 4, 2025, where the City of Atlanta plans to build new trails as part of the citywide Trails ATL plan. (Miguel Martinez/ AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez

Featured

Scott Jackson (right), business service consultant for WorkSource Fulton, helps job seekers with their applications in a mobile career center at a job fair hosted by Goodwill Career Center in Atlanta. (Ziyu Julian Zhu/AJC)

Credit: Ziyu Julian Zhu/AJC