Relatives of 9-year-old who drowned in Mountain View pool accused of child neglect
MOUNTAIN VIEW – Police in Mountain View have arrested two family members of a 9-year-old boy who drowned in a swimming pool over the summer on felony child endangerment charges.
On the afternoon of July 6, officers were called to an apartment complex on the 1800 block of Ednamary Way after the boy was found unresponsive in a pool.
Police said dispatchers provided CPR instructions to the caller. Once firefighters and police arrived, they took over life-saving efforts.
The 9-year-old was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
Detectives launched an investigation into the drowning and determined that no adult was present when the drowning occurred and the child was able to leave his home unsupervised, police said.
Following multiple interviews and a review of the case by the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, detectives determined that two adult family members were liable for neglecting to keep a watchful eye on the 9-year-old.
"This news is devastating for our community, particularly the parents and students impacted by this tragic loss," Captain Saul Jaeger said in a statement. "I am grateful for the perseverance of our detectives in getting to the bottom of this case and bringing some justice to this young boy."
The relatives, identified as 25-year-old Rocio Berberli Ochoa of and 42-year-old Pedro Rivera, were arrested on Thursday. Ochoa and Rivera, who are both Mountain View residents, were booked into the Santa Clara County Jail.
Jail records show Ochoa and Rivera are both being held on $100,000 bail. The pair are scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, drowning can happen in seconds and is often silent. The agency urges children to undergo swimming lessons and for adults to supervise children closely while they are in or around water.
Additional tips to prevent drowning can be found on the CDC's website.
