Fort Worth

2 Girls Found Unresponsive in Haltom City Pool Have Died

Haltom City police are investigating how the young sisters got into the fenced-in pool area

Two young girls found unresponsive in a Haltom City apartment pool Saturday evening have died, authorities say.

They were discovered at the Spring Lake Apartments in the 5300 block of Springlake Parkway.

Police said they were investigating the deaths of Ivana Mbouna, 7, and Gervina Mbouna, 5.

The girls' mother Mylene Siyo, returned to the pool Monday to search for answers on how her daughters wound up there.

They were supposed to be in their apartment, two buildings away, being watched by a family friend. Their mother said the pool gate was open Saturday. 

mboumbouna-sisters-mother-drowning
Family Photo
Five-year-old Gervina Mbouna (inset, R) and 7-year-old Ivana Mbouna (inset, L) with their mother, Mylene Siyo (C). (Published Sept. 2, 2019)

Melissa Norman, a resident who lives beside the pool, said she had just left with her children.

"Nobody was there. We were the last people to leave," she said.

About 10 minutes later, Norman said a friend came to her door to say the two girls were in the pool.

"So I dove in, grabbed one, handed one little girl to the friend. He got her out. I dove back in, got the other one. Immediately started doing CPR," Norman said.

The girls were rushed to Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth where they both died over the weekend.

Their mother said her children had never learned how to swim and had never been in the pool before.

Tips for Safe Swimming This Summer 

  • Bring a buddy: don't swim alone even at public pools or lifeguarded beaches.
  • Never leave young children unattended near water and never trust a child's life with another child.
  • Young children and inexperienced swimmers should always wear U.S. Coast Guard-Approved life jackets.
  • Establish rules, and always enforce them. Don't let children play around drains or suction fittings. Also, don't let children have breath-holding competitions.
  • Be aware: Cold temperatures, currents, and jagged rocks at rivers and lakes can make water dangerous.
  • Always wear a life jacket on a boat. Most boating fatalities occur from drowning.
  • Don't drink and swim. Alcohol impairs balance, coordination, and judgement.
  • Sign up for swimming lessons if you've never had them.
  • Always swim in areas supervised by lifeguards where available

(Source: Red Cross)

The pool was closed and the gates locked with chains on Monday.

"It's definitely a traumatic experience for everybody involved," Norman said.

Haltom City police said the investigation is ongoing and more information will be made public when further details are available.

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