Valentina and Penelope Ruiz: Arizona father recovers bodies of twins from their backyard pool after 'accidental drowning'
PHOENIX, ARIZONA: Authorities have disclosed the names of twin toddlers who tragically lost their lives after their devastated father recovered their bodies out of their backyard pool. Valentina and Penelope Ruiz, who were both three-years-old, breathed their last at the hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, on Thursday, May 2, officials said.
"Preliminary information suggests that this incident is consistent with an accidental drowning," Phoenix Police said in a statement on Friday, May 3. "At this time, there is nothing that investigators have found that appears suspicious," they added.
Phoenix Fire Captain speaks out after the unfortunate event
Phoenix Fire Captain Rob McDade said the twin's father was the one who dialed the emergency service providers. "We had a father on scene attempting to do CPR on both children. You can imagine what that would look like, how taxing that would be. A tremendous tragic scene" he said, according to Daily Mail.
McDade added the victims were underwater for an "undetermined amount of time" before help arrived about 3.30 pm on Thursday, May 2. First responders took less than three minutes to get to the home on 63rd Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road and found family members administering CPR to the twins. The girls were rushed to a nearby hospital where they were pronounced dead, officials said.
"Remember a drowning is silent. Everybody thinks that you're going to hear your child asking for help. It's absolutely silent. So remember that. Again, it's a tragic day. It is a tremendous loss for this family and for this community," McDade added, as per Fox 10 Phoenix. Aerial shots of the three-bedroom home showed a kidney-shaped pool that did not have fencing around it.
On Facebook, Phoenix PD marked National Water Safety Month on May 3 by encouraging locals to "never leave children unattended near water and always stay vigilant." In a video shared on the platform, officials encouraged viewers to have "constant eyesight" while monitoring their swimming children and to avoid distractions.
Sgt Brian Bower said in the clip that those who discover a drowning child should be detailed in the information they share with officers, and that community members should consider "basic CPR classes."
"Two seconds is too long to take your eyes off children near water," the fire department also wrote on Facebook, adding "Learn more about swimming lessons, CPR classes, and other resources by visiting Phoenix.gov/fire."
Internet users lashed out at the parents for the twins' death
Internet users were understandably enraged with the parents' carelessness which eventually took the lives of their children. One user asked, "How do you not know where your three year olds are for five minutes even?" and another opined, "If you have young children and a pool you need to make sure to have a fence with a locked gate and/or a alarm installed. Most child drownings in home pools could be prevented with these safety measures."
"Sounds like the father was home 'babysitting' and the mother wasn't home. Might as well get the divorce papers ready as well. She'll never forgive him!" commented one and another said, "Wth were the parents doing while their children drowned." "How can the parents be so unreasonable? I have an alarm on my door leading me o the pool" wrote one user.
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
