5-year-old dies after being pulled from pond in Hinesville

HINESVILLE, Ga. (WTOC) - A child has died after being pulled from a pond over the weekend in Hinesville.

According to the Hinesville Police Department, the 5-year-old died Tuesday morning at a Savannah hospital.

The child was discovered unconscious in a retention pond on Sunday. According to Sgt. Jonathan Greer, the child wandered from his home on Grandview Drive shortly before 4 p.m.

The Hinesville Police Department searched the Griffin Park subdivision and found the child submerged in the retention pond.

“The units responded out there, and within about 12-14 minutes, they had found a child in a pond,” Capt. William Oberlander said.

Neighbors that live in the area are heartbroken at this tragic turn of events. One man who lives on Piedmont Road - where the retention pond is - said he’s frustrated he didn’t know anything until it was too late.

“It’s always been a good neighborhood. People definitely know each other, it’s not one of those where they turn their head. So, it’s just unfortunate that we all had a blind eye that day and couldn’t do nothing about it,” he said.

In light of this tragedy, the Hinesville Police Department says vigilance is the way to prevent future tragedies.

“This is Southeast Georgia. It’s full of ponds. Around these subdivisions, you have to keep your eye on your child. You have to know where they are all the time. If they have a tendency to get out of the house, you know, be mindful of that,” Oberlander said.

The incident remains under investigation.

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