Boy, 13, drowns in Vancouver pond
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VANCOUVER, Wash. – A 13-year-old Portland boy drowned Saturday in a Vancouver pond.
DiMaggio Lee was swimming in Klineline Pond at Salmon Creek Park, according to a Clark County Sheriff’s Office spokesman.
Sgt. Fred Neiman said Lee was swimming in the east side of the pond Saturday afternoon. The east side is not the swimming area.
Lee was pronounced dead at Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel in Portland just after 11 p.m., the Multnomah County Medical Examiner said.
There are no lifeguards on duty at Klineline Pond, according to the Vancouver Parks and Recreation website.
The Parks and Recreation department had to cut more than $1.5 million from its budget in 2010. Lifeguards were among the cuts.
"I think it was good to have lifeguards here," said Megan Hepp, who was at the pond Sunday. "They did keep a good watch on kids in the water. A lifeguard would roll around in the canoe and they would patrol the farther side of the dock and make sure no one went swimming beyond that."
The park currently has a shed near the water with life jackets inside that families are encouraged to borrow.
10-year-old Jacob Duran witnessed the drowning. He said Lee was pulled from the water a few yards away from a concrete pier.
"I was in the water in one of the tubes and everyone was rushing over to that pier," said Duran. "And my mom told me to get out of the water because someone was drowning. That's all I know, I saw everyone pulling him out."
I wonder if this kid would have died if there had been a lifeguard on duty. We'll never know but I suspect it would have prevented this death.
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I was at another place where there was a drowning accident occurred. Such a terrible thing. I'm so sad for the boy's family and understand how it's all just an accident and how painful it can be, so we need to be sensitive to this topic...
As a former swim lesson teacher....parents, put your kids into lessons and teach them how to swim!  Such and easy but essential skill to have!  My condolences....
and keep them out of areas that are not marked for swimming
It's always so sad when what should have been just a fun day turns into a tragedy... My condolences go to the family and friends of this teen for their loss...
This is so sad. My condolences to the family. Klineline really isn't a good place to swim anymore. There are just gross people that hang out there, the water is filthy and there are no lifeguards on duty anymore.Â