FAYETTEVILLE -- A 6-year-old boy who went missing from Vandergriff Elementary School and was found in a nearby pool died Wednesday morning at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock, police and school officials said.
"This is a horrible day," Superintendent Matthew Wendt said during a late afternoon news conference. "We're in the kid business, and this is not what it's supposed to be.
"We lost a human life," he said.
Wendt expressed his sympathy for the boy's mother, father, grandparents and extended family. Wendt wouldn't name the student Wednesday.
School officials and police both are investigating the incident, Wendt said.
"Yesterday is going to cause some changes because it's already started conversations," Wendt said. "We will do whatever we need to do to correct what needs to be corrected."
Staff noticed the child was missing Tuesday when students lined up to go in from a roughly 30-minute recess at 2 p.m., Wendt said.
Within a short period, the staff took a series of actions to respond, Wendt said. An announcement was made of a playground emergency, with staff following steps in the campus crisis plan. Two 911 calls were made by campus staff.
Staff did a search, and the child was found in the pool of the private home that borders the east side of the campus, Wendt said. The child was brought out of the water, and first aid was administered.
Fayetteville police responded to two calls at around 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, one for a missing person from the school and another to assist Fayetteville Fire Department and Central Emergency Medical Services with what was a possible drowning on the property next to the school.
The child was found unresponsive and was taken to Washington Regional Medical Center and then to Arkansas Children's Hospital, police said Wednesday. The child died at 10:05 a.m. Wednesday.
Wendt estimated the child was missing for about 10 to 15 minutes, though investigations by the School District and Police Department will determine how long, he said.
The four teacher's aides who routinely supervise recess were on duty Tuesday, Wendt said. They have training, including in working with students, managing behavior and in CPR.
"Yesterday was a very difficult day for those four," Wendt said, referring to Tuesday.
The campus had extra staff present Wednesday to provide support to the teachers and staff there, he said.
Vandergriff's playground doesn't have a fence around it, though Wendt, who became superintendent in July, said he doesn't know the reasons. The campus was built in 1995, adjacent to the house that had been there for many years before the school.
"Then yesterday occurred," Wendt said.
The child's body will be sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for an autopsy, according to police.
Counselors will be at Vandergriff for the remainder of the week to help students and staff members, district officials said.
Wendt asked the community to keep the family in their thoughts and prayers.
"Yesterday's accident has created an unbelievable level of pain for so many wonderful people," Wendt said. "We will mourn together and comfort each other through this most difficult time."
NW News on 03/09/2017