Somercotes community in shock after toddler drowns in heartbreaking tragedy

Ambulance crews rushed to Nottingham Road, Somercotes, after receiving calls following reports of an unresponsive 23-month-old youngster.

Police say the youngster had been playing in a paddling pool but slipped under the water at 1.30pm on Wednesday last week.

Shocked witnesses have revealed how the boy's desperate parents carried the lifeless tot into the StopnShop newsagents begging for help before staff dialled 999.

A woman who works in a nearby beauty salon said: "I was on my dinner break and I saw the air ambulance and police cars everywhere.

"Everyone gets on pretty well along the road and I'm told the couple lived next door to the newsagents.

"They are quite young and had the paddling pool in the yard at the back but must have turned their backs and when they found him he was face down.

"I think they didn't know what to do so just took him into the newsagents and they called the ambulance.

"It's really, really sad and it's upset everyone who lives and works on the road."

A business owner on the road – a mix of shops and terraced houses – said they saw ‘a load of police and an ambulance’ outside the newsagents.

"People I’ve talked to say the laddie lived in a house next to the shop and his parents just panicked when they found him and ran into the shop hoping someone could help,” said the business owner.

“A woman who I know was at the bus stop outside and heard the parents screaming ‘please save our boy’ over and over again at the paramedics.

“It must have been absolutely heartbreaking. Such a tragedy.”

Derbyshire police confirmed officers were called to the scene at around 1.30pm on Wednesday, June 2.

"The boy was taken to the Royal Derby Hospital, however, despite the best efforts of staff, he sadly passed away,” a spokesman said.

"Our thoughts are with his family at this most difficult of times.”

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