Father and daughter nearly drown in Mississauga

A father and his three and a half year old daughter nearly drowned in an indoor pool in Mississauga this morning, but thankfully the quick actions of witnesses and a Peel Regional Police Officer saved their lives.

Police say the father and his daughter were underwater for several minutes. When witnesses pulled them from the recreational pool neither were breathing. A witness began CPR on the lifeless girl and police were called.

“It was within minutes so I guess he saw the call prior to it being dispatched,” says Peel Police officer George Tudos.

Constable Ben French of Peel Regional Police was the first one there and performed CPR on the lifeless father.

Paramedics continued to perform CPR on him on the way to hospital. He’s now in critical condition, and his daughter is okay.

While police investigated, residents who were trying to get home to their condos on Absolute Avenue were told to stay away.

At Hamilton’s Huntington Park Recreation Centre lifeguard Tom Marsh says it’s sad drownings still happen. He offers some tips for parents to keep in mind when swimming with their children.

“It’s always good to have more than one person there, especially a person with higher swimming ability. It can be surprising how heavy a small person can be when they’re hanging on you in the deep end. Stay within arms reach, and keep eye contact with them as well.”