Police Respond to Drowning Incident

Published on June 09, 2025

Police Respond to Drowning Incident Involving 4-Year-Old Child,
Water Safety Urged as Summer Season Begins

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (June 9, 2025) -- On Friday, June 6, at approximately 5:08 p.m., officers with the West Palm Beach Police Department responded to a 911 call reporting a possible drowning along the 4100 block of North Haverhill Drive.

Upon arrival, officers found a 4-year-old child who had been pulled from the bottom of a swimming pool. First responders immediately began life-saving measures and transported the child to a nearby hospital. The child survived the incident and is now recovering.

Following an on-scene investigation and witness interviews, the child’s mother, 27-year-old Nytearia Thomas, was arrested and charged with child neglect. Witnesses reported that Thomas was not actively supervising the child at the time of the incident.

With the arrival of summer and increased pool usage, the West Palm Beach Police Department is urging all parents and caregivers to take water safety seriously. Drownings can happen quickly and silently — often in just seconds.

Water Safety Tips for Parents and Caregivers:

• Always supervise children closely when they are in or near water — no distractions, including phones.
• Stay within arm’s reach of young children at all times, even if they know how to swim.
• Install proper barriers around pools, including self-latching gates.
• Learn CPR — it can make a life-saving difference in an emergency.
• Never assume someone else is watching your child around water.

Case no.: 20250008873

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Rachel Leitao

Public Information Officer

pdpio@wpb.org