The Collier County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a toddler drowning on Boabadilla Street in Central Naples Friday night.
While CCSO continues to investigate, NBC2 spoke to a drowning prevention advocate, Paul DeMello.
“Unfortunately, we're probably going to hit that 100 mark by the end of the year,” he said. “I believe we're already pushing 70 drownings, and we're talking about children that have died.”
For DeMello, hearing of another drowning hits home. He lost his twin boys, Joshua and Christian, in the middle of the winter.
DeMello said while he talks more about drowning prevention in the summer, drowning has no season in Southwest Florida.
He said we can all be a part of trying to keep our eyes open.
”We’re all guilty of taking our eyes off our children,” he said. “Our children are explorers.”
While prevention advocates continue to try to make a change, the neighbor NBC2 spoke to said there is not a fence in the backyard of the area where CCSO is investigating.
The neighbor said they have seen deputies called to the home before.
NBC2 reached out to CCSO to see how many times they’ve been called to that home. We’re waiting to hear back.