Toddler in critical condition after being found in Mastic pool

A 2-year-old boy was found unresponsive in an in-ground pool on Mayfield Road in Mastic Beach at 11:17 a.m. Friday and was rushed to Stony Brook University Hospital in critical condition after CPR began at the scene.

A family member pulled the child from the water and started CPR. Officers continued those efforts until Mastic Beach Volunteer Ambulance personnel arrived and took over lifesaving measures before the child was transported to the hospital. Seventh Squad detectives are investigating.

Police have not released the child’s name or said how long he had been in the water. They also have not said whether the pool had safety barriers, whether anyone was supervising the child at the time, or whether any charges were being considered. The investigation remains active as the child remains in critical condition.

Suffolk County heads into peak pool season, when backyard swimming and longer daylight hours put young children near water more often. Most young children who drown have been out of a caretaker’s sight for less than five minutes, and for every child under 15 who dies from drowning in a pool, another 10 are rushed to the emergency room for near drowning, according to Suffolk County Government’s pool-safety guidance.

Drowning injuries can cause brain damage and other serious outcomes, including long-term disability, and more children ages 1 to 4 die from drowning than any other cause of death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Drowning is a leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 4, and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends multiple layers of protection, including barriers, close supervision, water safety skills, life jackets and CPR-ready caregivers.

Home swimming pools should have a four-sided fence at least four feet high that fully encloses the pool and separates it from the house, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2026 technical report counted 981 U.S. drowning deaths among children under age 20 in 2023.