A 2-year-old boy was airlifted to Primary Children's Hospital in critical condition Sunday evening after he was found unresponsive in a swimming pool at an apartment complex on Cobblegate Drive in Sandy.

Sandy Fire was dispatched at 8:50 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, to 8942 S. Cobblegate Drive for a reported drowning, according to scanner reports. The boy had been submerged in the complex pool for what sources described as between one and two minutes before his brother found him unconscious and not breathing, KUTV reported.

CPR was already underway when fire crews arrived.

A pediatric medical helicopter was launched to transport the child to Primary Children's Hospital.

As of Monday, Aug. 10, the boy was in critical yet stable condition, according to ABC4. Sandy Fire, led by Fire Chief Ryan McConaghie, had not released a public statement as of Monday.

Peak season for child drownings

The incident comes during the height of summer pool season. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4 in the United States, according to a 2024 CDC report. Fatality rates for that age group climbed 28% between 2019 and 2022, rising from 2.4 to 3.1 deaths per 100,000 children.

Residential pools like the one on Cobblegate Drive are the most common drowning location for children under 7, the CDC report notes.

Drowning is often silent. A child struggling in water typically cannot wave or call for help because all their energy goes toward keeping their mouth above the surface, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, as reported by CNN.

What parents and property managers can do

The AAP recommends designating a "water watcher," an adult whose sole job is watching children near water with no phone, no conversation and no other distractions. The CDC and AAP also recommend four-sided pool fencing at least 4 feet tall with a self-closing, self-latching gate that fully separates the pool area from surrounding buildings and yards.

As many as 69% of young children found drowned or submerged in pools were not expected to be near the water at all, according to the American Red Cross.

Residents with information about the incident can contact Sandy Fire at 801-568-2941.