Young child drowns, another child hurt in St. Nicholas

Jacksonville, FL — Jacksonville police say two children were able to access a closed pool in a St. Nicholas apartment complex- one of them has died, while another is expected to recover.   The child who drowned has been identified by his father as 4-year-old Issmail Assil.

JFRD responded to the Preserve at St. Nicholas on Atlantic Boulevard Thursday for the reported drowning.

JSO says a young boy was found unresponsive and taken to Memorial Hospital, but died. Another child was in the pool and suffered a drowning-related injury, but will survive after being taken to Wolfson Children’s Hospital.

Investigators say the pool has not been open to residents for several months, and is in fact locked and gated. It’s unclear how the children were able to get in.

At this point, JSO says this appears to be an accident, but the investigation is still ongoing.