In the second tragedy of its kind this year, a child reportedly drowned in a creek during a gathering of family and friends April 11.
Stephen Neel, 22 months, went missing at about 5:30 p.m. His mother, Jennifer Daman, immediately became aware that she could not see her son among the group, which included five other children at the residence near Lake Pleasant.
The group began searching for the young boy and within minutes a call was made to 9-1-1. Deputies responded to the area and alerted the Clallam County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team as well as other first responders.
Two searchers found the boy in a creek approximately 50 minutes after he went missing. The pair immediately began CPR and the boy was transported to Forks Community Hospital.
Hospital staff worked on the boy for some time, however he was pronounced dead at about 9:27 p.m. April 11.
Clallam County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Ron Cameron reported there was nothing to suggest the incident was anything but a tragic accident.
Numerous agencies volunteered personnel and services as soon as the call went out on the radio, including the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, Elwha Police, Washington State Patrol, Forks Police and local fire districts.