Report: Child drowned in hot tub attached to pool

By Mary Manning (contact)

Published Friday, Jan. 16, 2009 | 12:24 p.m.

Updated Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009 | 1:56 p.m.

A preliminary report on the drowning of an 18-month-old boy at a day care in a North Las Vegas residence provides fresh details of the incident.

The Clark County Department of Family Services released its 48-hour notice of the incident in a two-page report today. The coroner has identified the victim who died as Jordan Williams, who according to the family services report was found face down at the bottom of a hot tub attached to an in-ground backyard swimming pool.

An unidentified 3-year-old boy was seen splashing around in the hot tub about 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, the report said.

The report also states that the day care for up to six children operated from a room in the back of the home at 4731 Gunlock Circle, which is near Lone Mountain Road and Decatur Boulevard. Marisela and Ramon Carvajal are listed as the owners of the home in Clark County Assessor's Office records.

One of the day care operators noticed that two children were not inside the home and went to look for them, the report said. At the back door that leads into the backyard, the person saw that an iron gate that leads to the pool was open and one of the children was splashing around in the hot tub.

Both children were taken to University Medical Center, where the 18-month-old was pronounced dead by a hospital physician and his parents were notified. The children were not related.

The Clark County Department of Family Services noted that it had previously received a report regarding the deceased toddler, but doesn't include other details, including where the alleged incident occurred. After an investigation, the report was found to be not substantiated.

The report also noted that Family Services suspended the day care's license on Wednesday and that the Nevada Bureau of Services for Child Care is conducting a separate investigation. The home where the day care operated has licenses from city, county and state agencies and passed inspections as late as July, authorities said.

The North Las Vegas Police Department is continuing its criminal investigation into the 18-month-old's death, said Chrissie Coon, spokesperson for the police department.

Once all reports are collected, interviews are completed and coroner's records received, the police department will forward the case to District Attorney David Roger, who will determine whether to press charges, Coon said.

The coroner has ruled that the 18-month-old's death was accidental.