HPD investigating after 7-year-old girl drowns in pool at west Houston private fitness club

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Authorities are investigating a drowning involving a child at a west Houston fitness club over the weekend.

Houston Police Department officers responded to a drowning call at about 4 p.m. on Sunday in the Briar Forest neighborhood at Club Westside on Wilcrest Drive.

HPD said the 7-year-old girl was taken to Texas Children's Hospital West Campus, where she was pronounced dead.

ABC13 spoke to someone who claimed they witnessed the incident but didn't want to be identified out of sensitivity to the situation.

That person said it happened during a birthday party in the club's primary family pool.

They said everything at the pool was normal until a woman started to scream.

"This was a very terrifying cry for help," the eyewitness said. "We looked at this woman, and she was pointing in the water."

According to the witness, two lifeguards were on duty, though police said the circumstances of the incident are being investigated.

Eyewitness News contacted the club for a statement, but they declined to comment.

Dr. David Persse, the City of Houston's chief medical officer, had no involvement in this case but said it illustrates the fact that many drownings happen in a silent manner.

"Television and movies give this perception that there's a lot of splashing and crying for help when somebody is drowning," Persse said. "Most of the drownings we have are a silent thing."

Persse also looked to remind the public that someone's life can be cut short with a small amount of water.

He cited examples where kids have drowned from falling into large buckets of water in someone's backyard after a rainstorm.

"There is no such thing as being drown-proof," he said.

Persse also advised parents to learn CPR.

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