Twin Toddlers Found Drowning in Pool; 1 Dead, 1 Fighting for Life

Ambulance waits outside a hospital.Stefan Wermuth/Reuters

Two 2-year-old brothers were found drowning in a backyard pool near Austin, Texas, earlier in February.

One of the twin boys died and the other is fighting for his life, KEYE reported on Feb. 23.

Their mother, Demi Schroeder, woke up on Feb. 16 only to find the twins, Noah and Levi, missing from a guest bedroom at her grandmother’s house.

They were staying at the grandmother’s home after her husband died, the report said.

Schroeder and her grandmother split up to try to look for the boys after they were discovered missing.

She then heard her grandmother yell that the boys were in the pool.

“All of a sudden, I hear my Nanny say they’re in the pool back here and I run from the front yard to the back yard and my grandma is pulling my kids out of the pool,” she also told ABC13.

She called 911 and the police arrived in a few minutes.

Boy Levi and Noah, Schroeder said, were taken to a nearby hospital. Levi was able to be saved, and Schroeder believes he went into the pool after Noah.

Noah couldn’t be saved, she said, adding the toddler “loved the water.”

The ABC13 report said Noah up the fight for his life.

“They ask me what they need from me and I said I need you to sing for him, so we all sing his favorite song and he had a little heartbeat,” she told the station. “I think that was the last time his heart beat on its own.”

Doctors told KEYE that Levi is now breathing on his own in the hospital and Schroeder said he began opening his eyes.

“Any love and support anybody can give us is what we need and what we want right now,” Schroder told KEYE.

“He’s opening his eyes and he’s so groggy from medication,” Schroeder added to ABC13. “Right now, we’re just fighting for Levi and that’s all we’re worried about is him.”

KEYE reported that Noah has been the fifth child to drown in the state of Texas this year.

A GoFundMe page was set up for the family to deal with funeral and hospital costs.

According to the page, “Being so young, the family did not have insurance coverage. This will help with the funeral cost and extra expenses they may have while his brother is still recovering.”

Other details about the incident are not clear.

Drowning Prevention

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that “everyone should know the basics of swimming (floating, moving through the water) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).”

And also, a four-sided isolation fence with gates is necessary if children are present.

“This can help keep children away from the area when they aren’t supposed to be swimming. Pool fences should completely separate the house and play area from the pool,” it says.

The agency also calls on parents to use life jackets.

“When kids are in or near water (including bathtubs), closely supervise them at all times. Because drowning happens quickly and quietly, adults watching kids in or near water should avoid distracting activities like playing cards, reading books, talking on the phone, and using alcohol or drugs,” it says.