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The incident happened Monday, June 24 at about 2 p.m. while the child was at Liberty Lake Day Camp at 1195 Florence Columbus Road, according to Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw alongside Mansfield Township Police Chief Eric Campbell.
In a letter to families provided to Daily Voice, the owner and director of Liberty Lake, Andy Pritkin, said a lifeguard found the boy unresponsive in a shallow pool. Staff members pulled the boy out of the water and administered CPR, Pritkin said.
The boy was taken by ambulance to Virtua Hospital in Mount Holly, where he was pronounced dead, the prosecutor said.
"We are absolutely devastated and heartbroken. Our thoughts at this most difficult time are with our camper’s family, friends and loved ones- and we are respecting their privacy at this time," Pritkin said in his letter.
"(We) are already providing counseling by helping those who want or need support to process what they witnessed.
"The safety and well-being of our campers and staff is our number one priority. We have three registered nurses on staff, 25 lifeguards certified in first aid/CPR/AED, and the Mansfield First Aid Squad located just down the street. Our goal is always to do everything possible to the best of our abilities to protect the campers and staff in our care," the letter said.
An autopsy will be performed on Tuesday, June 25 by Burlington County Medical Examiner Dr. Ian Hood, the prosecutor said.
An investigation is being conducted by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and the Mansfield Township Police Department.
“All of us at Liberty Lake Day Camp are devastated and grieving over the tragic passing of our young camper," the camp said in a statement to Daily Voice. "This senseless tragedy took a life that was far too young. There are no words that feel appropriate enough to capture our heartache and mourning.”
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