The Antelope Valley Times

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Toddler drowns at 4th of July party in Palmdale

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drownPALMDALE – A 4th of July party in Palmdale ended in tragedy Monday night when a toddler fell into a backyard pool and drowned, authorities said.

The child was identified as 3-year-old Joshua Boyd of Palmdale, said coroner’s Assistant Chief Ed Winter.

The incident was reported around 9:45 p.m. Monday, July 4, in the 37700 block of 50th Street East, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Information Bureau.

“Homicide detectives learned that the 3-year-old boy and his mother were attending a party at the location. After the festivities moved to the front of the residence to watch fireworks, the mother of the child noticed her child was missing and began to search for him,” the news release states.

“She located the boy in the backyard pool. The mother immediately pulled the child from the pool and began to render aid until emergency personnel arrived,” the news release states.

The child was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

“It is unknown how long the child was in the water before he was discovered,” according to the sheriff’s news release.

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Filed Under: Palmdale

53 comments for "Toddler drowns at 4th of July party in Palmdale"

  1. Awe Josh, my heart is heavy right now. What happen to you was an unthinkable tragedy. Everyone is hurt from your untimely passing. Now your the ANGEL to watch over your MOTHER, DAD, SISTERS & BROTHER. They need all the PRAYERS & BLESSINGS. K…U know your a damn good mother, DONT LET NOBODY TELL YOU DIFFERENT. UNFORTUNATELY IT REALLY WAS A TRAGIC ACCIDENT.. JOSH BABY YOU REST EASY…LEE LEE & FAM LOVES YOU.

  2. Prayers for baby’s family and friends. So tragic to lose a baby.
    How hard it must be for that mother, special prayers for her it’s an accident.
    My daughter in law has four children. While at the pool
    A service man had to pull her young son out of the pool he was face down.
    Thank you Jesus for saving him. Bottom line even without distractions children
    need to be watched with both eyes all the time. Get off your phone!
    We lose so many young souls unnecessarily.
    Live and learn parents.

  3. I have never in my 54 years of life and living all of it in Socal seen anything like the fireworks last night.Amazing. When will people learn you can’t stop someone who is set on doing something. Make fireworks lillegal. Making things illegal has,always solved the problem. Look at how making drugs illegal stopped that.That poor woman lost a part of herself last night. You all need to shut up. It was a accident. Ever heard of an accident. No one is to blame. It was an accident. IT WAS AN ACCIDENT.

    • People want to place blame because as long as they can place blame they can tell themselves “so I can keep that from happening to me.” Most people can’t deal with the idea that luck, fate, or God is keeping them and theirs alive. They desperately want to believe they are doing it themselves.

  5. Nationwide an adrveage of 360 children drown every year, most of the time it is in swimming pools. Get a grip people. Accidents happen that is why California requires by law for a fence to be placed around new swimming pools before you can even get approval for plastering. But people don’t like how they ruin the aesthetic of their yard and have them taken down after inspection.

  6. How can we eliminate the interruptions caused to our emergency response systems & society that are caused by illegal fireworks.

  7. I’m glad the gun shooters didn’t kill anyone…. I hope!! But we would be speaking Russian or Chinese without them..

  8. Fireworks are suppose to be illegal here in Lancaster. Some people just don’t care what the law is. Last night it got crazy here, morters, and fireworks going off at all hours of the night. In fact the night before I could here them until 2a.m. Does not anyone work here in Lancaster? People that live behind me where blowing off their morters until 1:30 am. We called the sheriffs with no response from them. We have a neighbor with a sick little boy, I am sure they loved all that noise also. What good is it to call the Sheriffs to control illegal fireworks or any emergency. They don’t come to investigate complaints.

  9. I am as against illegal fireworks as anyone, but let’s not use this drowning tragedy to advocate for the removal of safe and sane fireworks use by responsible persons. For thirty years I have used a bucket of water, and a garden hose on my small cul-de-sac; my children and now grandchildren have gotten much pleasure from my responsible usage. Why must the responsible persons always suffer from the irresponsibility of the minority?

    • I have lived in the AV for 26+ years and have paid for “safe & sane” fireworks every year for my now grown kids & my grandkids now ages 3-9. But it’s time to stop all fireworks because of the illegal firework non-sense. I don’t want to take away fireworks for my family but we have to start somewhere.

      We lit our fireworks last night, at a family get together in Mid-town Palmdale (near 15th East & R-8), while the multiple family group across the street lit there bombs. Not kidding, bombs, that exploded overhead. There were bigger bombs being lit from the street behind us exploding overhead as well. When we got home to the Eastside (near 55th East & S), it was worse. Hundreds of bombs going off until 11 pm+, huge bombs.

      There is no way for law enforcement to get this under control without eliminating all fireworks and having the community rat-out there non-conforming neighbors. On the flip-side of the law enforcement coin, they are just too busy during the evening to support firework calls mostly due to supporting all the Fire Department calls for brush fires, house fires, medical injuries & traffic collisions, then all the other family disturbance, drunk fight, domestic violence, etc. calls.

      My thoughts are to stop selling fireworks and bring back community based fireworks shows. For example, each neighborhood across the AV have a firework show at their high school. This, or something similar, may be a solution. Just my feelings…..

      • How exactly does “outlaw the legal fireworks” contribute to “law enforcement getting the illegal fireworks under control”? Sounds like “grab something totally unrelated and make a law about that.” As if we don’t already have volume after volume of nonsense laws.

        The whole illegal fireworks enforcement concept is a crock. Other than a cop on every street corner, which thankfully we do not have, it is just another unenforceable bit of nonsense. We would be much better served if we eliminated all the unenforceable nonsense, looked at the few valid functions of law enforcement, and then pared down the number of cops appropriately.

        • Tim, do you believe that illegal fireworks are a nuisance to our local first responders and civilians?

          • They’re a nuisance to me, no doubt. I have dogs. Legal fireworks are a nuisance to me as well. My neighbor’s kid that rides a skateboard on the sidewalk is a nuisance to me. My neighbor’s tree that drops leaves in my yard is a nuisance to me. LOTS of things are a nuisance to me. No doubt in many ways I am a nuisance to my neighbors as well, but they, like me, “go along and get along.”

            The question is, are these illegal fireworks the giant hairy deal people want to make of them? This article is about a drowned toddler, and the comments are full of “See! If only there were no fireworks the youngster would be alive today, and no doubt I would be having steak for dinner every night too!” It’s just absurd.

            They’re illegal, okay, great. Some get seized, some fines get paid, on we go. The legal fireworks are legal. Also great. Good family fun, fundraising for a variety of good causes, on we go. Me and my dogs manage to get by, year in, year out.

          • Well…there were over 20 brush fires and 5 house fires caused by fireworks. Luckily the fire department over staffs in the AV because they know that despite being surrounded by tinder dry desert and open fields and that the aerial fireworks are still illegal, people are still going to set them off.

            It’s a great way to make a few thousand on OT.

      • Banning safe and sane fireworks will have the same effect as having more community fireworks shows: absolutely no effect at all. There was a great fireworks show at the Fairgrounds and Lancaster still looked like it was a war zone. Lancaster doesn’t allow safe and sane fireworks and the air is filled with illegal fireworks. Palmdale didn’t have a community show but does allow safe and sane fireworks and the skies were lit up with illegal fireworks. Maybe all that will help is to drastically raise the fines for use and especially transport and sale of illegal fireworks. I’m afraid that won’t work either.

      • When I’d work the 4th in the AV, we would often discuss that the poorer and more crime infested the neighborhood, the more illegal fireworks were on display.

        Wife and I were watching the Huntington Beach 4th of July parade and walked down to watch the fireworks at the pier. It was a good time and never had to light a fuse.

        • And yet another article is blessed with an anecdote about how really “Father Knows Best” should have starred Shane Falco instead of Robert Young. Is there ANYTHING you can’t twist into a story about how wonderful you think you are?

      • The officers can’t even cite for fireworks unless they either witness them being set off, or find them in possession. Then there is the matter of the fine when they do cite. Up to 25 lbs is only a $500 fine except in Palmdale where it’s $2500. People are spending a lot more than $500 on 25 lbs of fireworks, so it’s a slap on the wrist. Takes considerable time to process even 1 citation, and the officers have to go around in teams because people are going to fight being cited, and are likely drunk.
        If they find something like an m-80 or bigger, they are tied up longer, because that’s an explosive and has to be handled as such, is a federal offense, and an instant felony.
        Anything that leaves the ground other than sparks from the safe and sane fountain types is illegal. Stuff that shoots up and bursts is illegal. A bottle rocket shooting up and going out is illegal. Stuff over a certain volume level is illegal on a federal level except at permitted professional shows. It’s actually pretty shocking that there aren’t a bunch of photos of burned out homes and reports of killed kids every July 5th in the news with the ever increasing level of random aerial fireworks each year.

        What can be done? It’s hard to get a handle at this point, since it’s so out of control. There have to be a couple thousand individuals buying illegal fireworks from out of state or even mexico for the bigger stuff. The fines are tiny compared to what’s spent on the fireworks and out of date. The county board of supervisors must not have any idea of the scale of the problem, and the number of calls never gets publicized, neither does any estimate of how much goes off. If someone videoed how much goes off through the night from an elevation, and publicized it, you might be able to convince the county to increase fines, and put more officers on overtime patrolling and answering calls. They need a bunch of teams, and the teams need to be able to quickly record the citation, confiscate the fireworks and move on to the next call, which is going to need a whole different level of planning and organization.

  11. We as human being are so quick to judge., accident do happens . I feel bad for the mother children are so quick .I do agree we have to be more alert when there is a pool around but don’t judge the lady unless you were there. R.I.P Joshua .

  12. You perfect people who seem to have all the answers for life and what others do wrong – needn’t bother condemning this mother – she will suffer miserably for the rest of her life. God bless her. Losing a child this way is horrendous. My heart goes out to her.
    And, take care of yourselves and don’t judge another.

  13. i live in palmdale and i heard ambulance and i pray for that woman and if i ever have children i know now to never let them out of my sigh because stuff like this happens everyday but to know that it is happening to people in our community we need to to change that starting here in our very own antelope valley next all over the word. God bless that woman and may that baby be in a better place. Amen.

  14. My heart goes out to the Mom. However, she should have had her son with her at all times if it was that crazy. We all KNOW how fast they can get away and most are fascinated with swimming pools and water in general. I feel bad for the homeowner as they will have a daily reminder of this horrible incident. People that say she should go to jail, etc. that’s a bit harsh. Her JAIL TIME will be living each day with the horror of her finding her baby son in a pool, and not having him with her anymore. That alone is enough punishment.

  15. PRAYERS FOR MOTHER AND ENTIRE FAMILY MAY LORD BE WITH YOU ALL IN THIS DIFFICULT TIME LETS US NOT BE QUICK TO JUDGE THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ANY OF US TOO

  17. I assume that all of you judgemental jerks…

    A) Have kids so you have any idea what you are talking about.
    B) Have never let those kids out of your sight for a single minute.

    Okay, no, I don’t really assume that. That would be totally unrealistic. Of course, it is the basis of your judgemental perspective, rather than just being grateful that nothing terrible struck out of the blue and got you or yours…which can indeed happen to anyone.

    Condolences to the family.

    • thank you – this is an accident and an unimaginable tragedy – my condolences to the family

    • I’ve worked too many drowning calls. We have had pools since before our kids were born. We got them in the pool within a few months of birth and they could swim before they could walk.

      We have rules at our place with kids in our pool.

      1) nobody swims alone whether it’s adult or child.

      2) if your kid is in he pool then you are outside watching them. If you go inside the hour or pool house for any reason, your kid gets out until you come back

      3) I’ve certified almost all the adults who regularly come over in CPR and F/A just in case.

      If you’re visiting somebody’s house with a pool, don’t assume somebody else is watching your kid and stay sober. I can’t tell you how many times somebody just “turned their head for a second” and really it was 10-15 minutes because they thought somebody was watching their kid. Many times adults are so focused on getting their drink on and you find your just one bad choice in a series of bad choices to having a dead child.

      • So Shane, when you work a drowning call do you tell the survivors they are just cockroaches anyway and one less is in your opinion a good thing?

  18. Way too much time spent watching fireworks instead of the kids. This place was like Baghdad last night.

    • Kudos to the Sherriff’s Dept. for their mere threats
      of fines and punishment for illegal fireworks in Lancaster.
      Heck yeah 20th W and Ave L was like the shock and awe
      campaign. Maybe Leaps got them all.
      Kudos REX to a job well done…right
      More illegals and illegal fireworks than ever although last yr was worse with the 4th on a Sat. My poor dog. REX you are a failure with this city!

  20. You cannot let your child out of your sight for even ONE MINUTE anywhere where a swim pool is involved…how horrible, how tragic, how very sad :(

  21. I don’t understand why there was not a secure fince around the pool I thought it was the law

  22. she should be in Jail for not paying attention to her 3 year old, it’s not at all his [removed] fault, he’s just a little baby boy!!! Wow, I do not have any sympathy or pity for her loss. especially if she was intoxicated…. She should feel horrible and some type of guilt for the loss of her 3 year old baby boy.

    • Oh yeah I am sure she has no guilt, as for all the other adults at the party! Shame!! So what arrest every irresponsible adult at the party too? Is it going to bring the boy back to life?? I am sorry but the last time I checked, we are all human!!!!! Show sympathy for the mother or at least the family!!Geeze!!!

  23. What kind of idiot lets there kid around a pool unsupervised the mother should go to jail for child abuse

    • Wow really?? Such harshness! !! They lost a child, if you EVER had a toddler you would know it only takes a minute for them to get into mischief. This family has to be devastated as it is.

      • she should have had the child with her and this wouldn’t have happened. Childeren are a responsibility not something to ignore or play with when you want to play with them.

    • the pool should have had a fence around it, someone is liable and has to live with the tragedy of not keeping the pool secure. I have a fence around my pool just to keep my dogs from falling in!

      • This happened across from me…..Mom and baby were visiting…that was not their home/pool….Let’s not be quick to judge, it can happen to any of us
        It was way to noisy..2-3 parties going on around this street…way too many cars..way too many people. Noise from music (too loud) along with fireworks..even if the poor baby screamed / cried, no one was going to hear him :(

        • I agree. The firework situation is out of control up here. The use of illegal fireworks has grown to a point that the Sheriff’s could never control or catch all the violators. I believe it’s time to disallow fireworks in the AV. I’m not saying fireworks caused this incident but could have been a huge contributor.

          • Absolutely, the fireworks situation is out of control!
            Need a petition to stop all fireworks (because otherwise people will still do illegal ones) Dry Desert, live sparks/flames, wind ,self absorbed people =disaster!

      • Agree with CW. If a resident with a pool on the premises plans to entertain guests, especially young children, there should be safeguards in place such as a fence or adult swimmer to protect the young and non-swimmers. Blaming a parent or caregiver seems cut and dry, but anyone who has raised small children knows that they can be two feet away from you and still find trouble. I cannot fathom the pain of losing a child. Salt in the wound and casting stones are not the solution here. Condolences to the family.

  24. Very sorry for the tragic loss, I am a mother of a toddler and that must be a very hard situation for the family, condolences and prayers are with you at this difficult time ….