Police on scene of possible baby drowning at SW Houston apartment complex

From SkyEye 13 HD, yellow crime scene tape could be seen across the apartment.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A 10-month-old baby is hospitalized after nearly drowning while being given a bath on Friday morning.

Emergency crews at around 10:30am were called to the family's town home on Windsor Village Drive near Beltway 8 in southwest Houston. EMS crews were performing CPR on the child before going to the hospital.

A neighbor says the grandmother was giving the child a bath, but left for a moment to get some soap, and that's when something went wrong.

"I pray for the family. I pray for that lady, I swear to God," said the neighbor.

From SkyEye 13 HD, yellow crime scene tape could be seen across the apartment.

We are still waiting for an update on the child's condition.

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Possible drowning at diving training facility

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Officials have been called to a commercial diving school for a possible drowning accident.

Houston police and fire departments received the call at about 10am to the 10800 block of Rockley in far southwest Houston. The Ocean Corporation, a commerical diving training facility, is located at that address.

Two people had to be rescued from a diving tank at the school. LifeFlight was called to the scene. The details of the accident and the conditions of the victims are unclear at this time.

Stay with ABC13 Eyewitness News for the latest on this developing story.

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Dad dies while saving drowning son

LA PORTE, TX (KTRK) -- A La Porte family is mourning a father who died trying to save his son from drowning.

It was supposed to be a family fishing trip along the San Luis Pass, and 44-year-old Juan Vela and his children were thrilled.

"He was happy and everything. He wanted to go fishing, 'cause we often go do that with him," his son, Rene Vela, said.

But the water that looked harmless from shore became deadly. It started when a family friend's young daughter got into trouble. Fourteen-year-old Rene Vela tried to help and soon got caught into the currents himself.

"When I was trying to save the little girl, I just took another step I just went all the way down. I couldn't get air," he said.

The teen says neither he nor anyone in the family really knew how to swim, but when his father saw that he was in trouble, he went into the water anyway.

"He's a brave man, I think it was a father instinct," uncle Jaime Cardenas, said.

"He kept pushing me to shore so I can get there, and then he just decided to give up," Rene said.

Rene made it to shore, but by the time his dad was pulled from the water, it was too late.

Through her tears, Gloria Vela describes her husband of 25 years as a hardworking man whose main focus was providing for his family and he died trying to save them.

"He risked his life for me, and I'm happy to be alive and not dead," Rene said.

The Vela family says they plan on laying Juan to rest on Wednesday.

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Family of drowning victims sues Texas City

TEXAS CITY, TX (KTRK) -- With summer in full effect, the Texas City Dike is a popular place to get some sun and cool down. But one day after the drowning of a five-year-old boy there, Texas City is being sued. The lawsuit claims the city knows the beach is dangerous, and even deadly, but is doing nothing about it.

The Suarez family filed the lawsuit on Thursday. The city says it added a sign to the entrance of the Texas City Dike, but it came after the family's tragedy. Now the family's attorney says a sign isn't enough. "Words can't describe what they've been going through," said Jimmy Doan, the family's attorney. It was an unbearable loss for the Suarez family last fall when they arrived at the Texas City Dike for a family outing. Nine-year-old twins Alexandra and Samantha went into the water and immediately got into trouble. Their father Hector drowned while trying to save them. The family says there were no signs or warning of the dangers. "The city's contention is well the parents should have watched, they should have had life jackets. Every parent wants to protect their child, but sometimes the dangers are not obvious," Doan said. "And in Texas City, when people go to the Texas City Dike, they're not aware of how dangerous this beach is." The dike had just reopened following two years of Hurricane Ike repairs. The city says signs had not been posted but were added to the entrance of the dike after the Suarez drownings. "I don't think that it's something that means that no one else could ever use the ocean because there's been a tragedy. I'm very sorry for the family, but I really don't think there's any responsibility for the city because it's an inherently dangerous and case law says that oceans are inherently dangerous,"Texas City Attorney Carla Cotropia said. Damage from the hurricane can still be seen at the dike. Attorneys for the Suarez family say they believe conditions there changed once it reopened but the city disputes their claim. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Father charged in connection with toddler's drowning

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A father is facing a felony charge after his daughter drowned in the family's bathtub.

Randall Lee Johnson, 26, is charged with injury to a child by omission. On April 6, Johnson's 16-month-old daughter, Teddi Johnson, drowned in the bathtub.

According to court documents, a deputy arriving at the mobile home found the bathtub had overflowed, spilling water into the bathroom. Witnesses said Teddi been in the tub for a bath, along with her two-year-old sister. The water was reportedly running, and the girls' father was in another room taking a phone call.

Johnson's girlfriend went to check on the girls and discovered Teddi floating in the tub and attempted to perform CPR. She was taken to Hermann Hospital where she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

Johnson reportedly admitted smoking marijuana on the day of the drowning. Teddi's cause of death was drowning, and the manner of death is listed as homicide on the autopsy report.

Bond in the case has been set at $30,000.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Body of drowning victim recovered in Galveston

  GALVESTON, TX (KTRK) -- The Galveston Island Beach Patrol recovered the body of a drowning victim, Faiz Almani, at approximately 2:15am Friday at 29th Street and Seawall.

The victim was pronounced dead by the Galveston County Medical Examiner.

Friends of the victim reported Almani was swimming with his friends at 45th and Seawall, when the group of four began to have difficulty swimming in the deep water. The group began heading towards shore.

A Galveston Island Beach Patrol Lifeguard noticed that the group was out farther in the water than the lifeguard was comfortable with and was proceeding to the group's location to bring them closer to shore. A witness on shore noticed the lifeguard, realized the group was in distress, and entered the water with a float to assist them.

Almani's friends were assisted to shore by the witness and lifeguard. The group informed the lifeguard that Almani was unaccounted for.

An active search for Almani was conducted for over two hours by members of the Galveston Island Beach Patrol with assistance of other members of the the Galveston Marine Response Team (Galveston Fire Department, Galveston EMS, Galveston Police Marine Division) along with US Coast Guard Helicopter and Rescue Craft.

The recovery search for Almani continued until nightfall by Galveston Island Beach Patrol

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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