Local

3-year-old girl drowns in neighbor's swimming pool

LEESBURG, Fla. — A 3-year-old Leesburg girl drowned while swimming in a pool Thursday, police said.

Authorities said Jayonna Brown was lying on the back deck of the home when EMS arrived.

Police said rescuers tried to revive her, but she did not respond to any life-saving techniques.

Brown was transported to the Leesburg Regional Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

Police said Brown and her 4-year-old brother sneaked over to a neighbor's home while their mother was asleep. The children entered the unfenced backyard and went into the above-ground swimming pool.

Police said her 4-year-old brother realized that she was in distress and ran next door where he asked for help from a maintenance worker. The worker ran to Brown, removed her from the pool, and immediately called for help.

Brown's mother, Chante Anthony, was awakened by the commotion of the emergency personnel vehicles and noticed that her children were missing, police said.

Public safety personnel then notified Anthony of the situation.

The owners of pool were at work at the time of the incident and the home was unoccupied, police said.

The Florida Department of Children and Families was notified and Leesburg police detectives are continuing to investigate the incident.