'Close Call' for Toddler Swimming in Lake Allatoona

A Bartow County toddler nearly drowned Saturday in what rangers describe as a "close call" in Lake Allatoona.

The Rydal girl, 3, was swimming with her family at the beach at Red Top Mountain State Park in Cartersville, according to Georgia Department of Natural Resources Sgt. Mike Barr. Emergency medical crews were called to aid the child about 1:20 p.m.

According to Barr, this is what happened:  

Her mother was on the beach with a 9-month-old who was playing in the sand.  The father was in the water with three children in the deeper area of the roped-off beach. The mother noticed her 9-month-old trying to eat some sand and looked back towards the water and could not see her 3-year-old daughter, who was swimming.  

The mother yelled to the father, who brought one of the younger children back to shore. A nephew saw the 3-year-old girl floating face down in approximately 6 feet of water. She was not wearing a life jacket.  

"Life jackets are not required for swimming, but having one on is a good idea to prevent water tragedies, regardless of the capabilities of the swimmer," he said in an email. "Swimming in pairs is also a good safety practice."

Another woman grabbed the girl and brought her to shore. The girl was put on her side and started coughing up water.  

Bartow County EMS arrived to assist and the girl was quickly transported to Kennestone Hospital in Marietta.  Due to her age, she was then transported to Scottish Rite Hospital where she was in stable condition and expected to fully recover, but remained for observation for 12 hours.

The toddler has been released from the hospital and is in good condition, according to her mother, Barr said.

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