2-year-old drowns in family member’s swimming pool, SC coroner says

Authorities are investigating the death of a South Carolina toddler who was found in a swimming pool at a family member’s home Monday night, according to the coroner.

The drowning happened at a home in the Belton area of Anderson County late Monday, according to a release from the Anderson County Coroner’s Office.

Senior Deputy Coroner Don McCown identified the victim as 2-year-old Jayce Rusinque of Beaufort. Jayce and his family were visiting a relative’s home in Anderson County for an event that included multiple children, McCown said.

After all the family members had gone inside for the night, the boy’s mother went to check on her children and found the child missing, McCown said. He was found by family members in an above-ground pool around 10:20 p.m.

The child apparently got out of the home and re-entered the pool after everyone had gone inside, McCown said. He was taken to an Anderson hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The cause of death appears to be freshwater drowning, McCown said.

There’s no indication of foul play, but the coroner’s office and Anderson County Child Fatality Task Force continue to investigate. An autopsy is expected Tuesday.