A heartbroken mother in Texas is speaking out after her 4-year-old son “drowned” several days after being in a swimming pool.
According to KTRK, Francisco Delgado III passed away suddenly on Saturday at East Houston Regional Hospital, several days after he went swimming.
The little boy’s father, Francisco Delgado Jr., said his son had a bit of an upset stomach after going swimming over Memorial Day weekend, but he truly seemed to be getting better.
On Saturday morning, Delgado says Francisco complained about his stomach hurting before waking up suddenly just a few hours later.
Then the little boy took his last breath, leaving his family shocked and heartbroken.
"Out of nowhere, he just woke up. He said ahhh," said Delgado. "He took his last breath and I didn't know what to do no more."
“I walked in. I could see him lying there,” said Francisco’s mother, Tara Delgado. “They were still working on him. I’m screaming, ‘Let me just touch my baby. Maybe he needs his mama’s touch.’”
Francisco’s mother said paramedics and doctors all tried to save her son, but it was already too late.
"I walked in. I could see him lying there. They were still working on him. I'm screaming. Let me just touch my baby. Maybe he needs his mama's touch," said Delgado. "When she came in, she told us it's what's called dry drowning. His lungs were full of fluid. There was nothing else they could do for him."
Although an autopsy must still be done to determine Francisco’s official cause of death, doctors say he had the telltale signs of dry drowning.
Dr. Kay Leaming-Van Zandt, an emergency medicine physician at Texas Children's Hospital, told KTRK about the serious dangers of dry drowning.
Zandt, who did not treat Francisco, explained that children can drown in just inches of water, and the effects can show up hours later.
"Some children will have symptoms soon after the drowning occurs. Some children will have symptoms later on. They may seem fine. They develop respiratory issues hours after the event," said Zandt. "It only takes a split second. Drowning is silent. It's not similar to what you see in the movies where there is a lot of commotion."
Dr. Ray Pitetti, with the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, explained to NBC that it’s extremely important to keep an eye on kids the moment they step out of the water.
“If a kid chokes or sputters after going under water but seems fine, he doesn’t need to go to the hospital,” Pitetti said. “But if several hours later he starts breathing faster and is finding it harder to breathe and starts coughing a lot, then you want to bring him in.”
