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Young girl dies after apparent drowning in Portland public pool; first in nearly 40 years

The girl was found unresponsive in the water on Friday night and taken to a hospital. She died on Monday, officials said.

PORTLAND, Ore. — A young girl was found unresponsive in a pool at the Montavilla Community Center on Friday night and died three days later, Portland Parks & Recreation announced Wednesday morning. Mark Ross, public information officer for Portland Parks, called it an "apparent drowning," marking the first one in a Portland public pool in nearly 40 years.

“I am devastated about the loss of life at a Portland Parks & Recreation facility. I have been in constant communication with the bureau since they alerted me to the incident on Friday night," said Commissioner Dan Ryan, who oversees Parks. "When I was told the young girl passed away on Monday, my heart broke." 

The girl was found in the water at the center's outdoor pool, according to a Parks news release. Bureau staff performed CPR until paramedics arrived to take her to a hospital. She passed away on Monday, the bureau said. Two lifeguards were present at the time, Ross said.

"My thoughts are with the family and the community," said Ryan. "I'm devastated by this tragedy. And I know that the community and everyone within PP&R grieves as well."

The bureau did not disclose the girl's identity or age, saying it wanted to respect her family. It also did not disclose any additional details about the circumstances of the incident.

“I’ve been here for many years. I’ve never seen anything like that. It’s one of our fears as a mother," said Sara Biadglejne, a Portland resident.

"I am heartbroken," Parks & Rec Director Adena Long said in a statement. "I have directed Portland Parks & Recreation staff to partner with other City teams to participate in an investigation to see what we can learn from this tragic incident. PP&R’s goal is to provide the safest environment possible for the community. Our deepest, most heartfelt thoughts are with the family at this time."

The pool has since been drained. Staff said the last day it was open to the public was Monday and it is now closed for the season. 

“It’s shocking, like what? What are you talking about? This is really really scary. It’s sad," said Biadglejne.

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