Despite the efforts of emergency workers, a 2-year-old Clinton child lost her life after reportedly drowning in a pool Sunday evening.

According to Ronald Bass, Emergency Management Services director, professionals arrived at a residence located at 3982 of Reedsford Road around 6 p.m., responding to a report of a drowning victim.

When EMS officials and members of the Harrells Fire Department arrived on scene, they discovered family members frantically working to revive Valeria Edith Sanchez.

“She did not die at the scene,” Bass said. “Professionals took over and worked on her all the way to the hospital.”

Those professionals worked for approximately three hours on the child, according to Sampson County Medical Examiner Dr. F. Carl Barr.

“She came in with a very low body temperature (85 degrees),” Dr. Barr said Tuesday, “and they worked on her, trying to revive her, for at least three hours.”

Sadly, despite their best efforts, officials were unsuccessful in attempts to revive the youngster. Her death was officially deemed an accidental drowning.

Initial reports noted that Sanchez was under the water for as many as three to five minutes, however, Dr. Barr said that is unlikely.

“From what I have been told, there was a get-together or cookout with a few families at the residence. There was an above ground pool that was on level with a deck,” he said. “It looks as if she walked out and just accidentally fell in to the pool. I could find nothing suspicious to determine anything other than that. I really don’t think she wasn’t under water for five minutes.”

Bass said first responders didn’t know how long Sanchez was in the pool.

“Right now, to be honest, I would even hate to speculate.”

At any rate, in just minutes, a promising young life was tragically taken away.

“She was just 2 years and four months old,” Dr. Barr stressed, “and was healthy young girl … it is just very, very sad.”

Sanchez will be laid to rest Thursday morning.

To reach Doug Clark call 910-592-8137 ext. 123 or email sisports@heartlandpublications.com.