TODDLER DROWNS NEAR LAKE PLEASANT

Twenty-two month old Steven Neel, the son of Jennifer Daman and James Neel of Forks, drowned Friday in Lake Creek near Lake Pleasant.

Clallam County Deputy Sheriff Ron Cameron reported that the child went missing at about 5:30 p.m. Friday, and had wandered away from friends and family.

His mother immediately became aware that she could not see her son among the assembled friends and approximately five other children at the residence, Cameron said. 

Friends and family immediately commenced a search for young Steven within minutes of him going missing.
A call was made to 911 and deputies responded to the area and alerted Clallam County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue as well as other police and fire agencies.

Two people who were helping in the search found young Steven in the creek approximately 50 minutes after he went missing. The two searchers immediately began CPR and the child was transported to Forks Community Hospital.
In a heroic effort, a number of volunteer EMT staff and others gathered at the hospital and provided CPR to try to restart the child’s heart for about three hours.

The child was pronounced dead at approximately 9:27 p.m. Friday night.
There is nothing to suggest this was anything but a tragic accident, Cameron said.

Numerous agencies volunteered personnel and services as soon as the call went out on the radio, including the Clallam County Sheriffs Department, Elwha Police, Washington State Patrol, Forks Police and local fire districts, he said.
In addition, many Beaver residents took part in the search. 

“Efforts by all those involved with the search, recovery and care of young Steven were noteworthy according to Undersheriff Ron Peregrin, who responded to assist in the incident,” Cameron reported.

The drowning death of the young child is the second in Clallam County this year. In March Dylan Almaden, 3 1/2, of Joyce drowned in a pond near his home.

Posted April 16, 2008