ST. GEORGE – A 6-month-old child died early Monday following attempts to save him after a boating accident on Lake Powell the day prior.
Around 5:20 p.m., Sunday, National Park Service Dispatch at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area received a report that the boy had sustained major head wounds, according to a joint statement from the NPS and Coconino County Sheriff’s Office issued Monday afternoon.
The incident occurred as a houseboat attempted to dock on a beach in the Navajo Canyon portion of Lake Powell in Arizona.
When the houseboat struck the beach, the impact caused an adult to fall on the child.
NPS rangers patrolling the area responded to the emergency and transported the child to Antelope Point Marina where he was taken to a local hospital.
“While transporting the infant by boat to Antelope Point Marina, emergency first aid was provided, including rescue breaths and chest compressions,” the statement reads.
The boy was ultimately flown to Children’s Primary Hospital in Salt Lake City, where he was pronounced dead.
The family resides in Bluffdale, Utah, according to the joint statement.
The incident is under investigation by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, the National Park Service and the Utah Office of the Medical Examiner.
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How sad! RIP little man, and God bless you. My heart goes out to the family, and particularly to the individual who fell on the child. That’s going to be terribly hard to forgive yourself for.