Young boy drowns in canal in Poplar

An 8-year-old boy died Sunday after he fell into a canal in Poplar on Friday.

According to the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department, deputies were called to the scene of a near-drowning along a canal bank at 3:16 p.m. Friday in the area of Tule Drive and Avenue 149 in Poplar.

The boy, Gustavo Andrade, was walking along the canal with his mother and other family members when he tried to retrieve a soccer ball that was floating on the surface of an active canal.

Officials said Andrade jumped into the water and was pulled under the surface by the force of the water flowing through a release gate.

When deputies arrived, they found the child in the water being held by his mother, and exhibiting no signs of life. Deputies began and continued CPR until emergency medical personnel arrived and took over.

Upon arrival at Sierra View Medical Center, medical officials detected a pulse and the child was flown to Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera County.

According to Valley Children’s Hospital, Andrade passed away Sunday night.

Due to several storms bringing rain and snow, this is the first year since the drought began that there has been a significant amount of water in local waterways. With temperatures in the 70s predicted this week and swift water in rivers, canals and streams, the temptation to jump in and cool off may be too much for some to resist, officials said.

Teresa Douglass, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Department, said water in canals flows fast — roughly eight miles per hour — and can be swift and dangerous despite appearing placid.

People should not try to swim in canals and children should always be supervised by an adult when around waterways, she said.