5-year-old boy dies after being rescued from swimming pool

A child hospitalized after being rescued from a family pool several days ago has died.

Ocala police officials said Alexander "Abe" Everts died at UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville on Thursday. The 5-year-old boy was autistic/non-verbal, officers said.

On April 17, police were dispatched to a home in the 900 block of Northeast 12th Avenue in reference to a child in a body of water. On scene, Sgt. Richard Tuck performed CPR and Officer Sean Price used an AED defibrillator. The officers worked on the child until the arrival of other first responders.

Those rescue officials continued life saving measures on the child, who was transported to AdventHealth Ocala Hospital for further treatment. Alexander, whose family called him Abe, was later transferred to Shands.

Police officials said Alexander lived at the residence. Officers were told the child was in the house when he made his way outside and into the pool.

A relative at the residence looked for Abe and was unable to find him. The relative went outside and discovered Abe in the pool, officers said. The relative went into the water and pulled Abe out. Emergency personnel were called.

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Abe's aunt, Brittany Johnson, told a Star Banner reporter on Friday that her nephew's heart, liver and kidneys were donated to other children.

Johnson said the transplants were successful. She said although Abe's death was a tragedy, the family is glad that he can live on, and his memory continues.

The aunt said her nephew knew nothing but kindness, love and happiness. She said he loving to run and play and his favorite show was "Sesame Street."

Abe's death is the second drowning investigated by the Ocala Police Department in recent months.

In late December, another 5-year-old autistic boy died when he wandered away from a hotel room and went to a swimming pool. Police officers found the child and performed live saving measures. The child was taken to a local hospital, where he died.

Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Ocala Florida boy, 5, dies after being rescued from swimming pool