DCF previously investigated family of girl who drowned in Ortega Hills

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Florida Department of Children and Families officials said Thursday that the department has previously been contacted about a 5-year-old girl with special needs who drowned Wednesday night in her neighbor's pool.

DCF said it investigated for the first time more than a year ago, but found no verified signs that the Ortega Hills girl was abused or neglected.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said a neighbor on Ortega Bluff Parkway checked his home surveillance video on his phone and saw Kyrie Johnson in his pool.

The man rushed home, called 911, took Kyrie out of his pool and tried to revive her until first responders got there.

She died at a hospital.

Action News Jax asked JSO for the 911 calls, but JSO said it’s not releasing them because it is an active criminal investigation.

Investigators are going through surveillance video to help find out how it happened and who is responsible.

JSO said Kyrie has wandered off before and officers are trying to figure out who was responsible for watching the child.

The neighbor told Action News Jax that her pool was built before state law started requiring baby gates around pools, and that she’s warned the child’s family on multiple occasions about the pool because she’s seen the girl climb fences.

She says the girl even wandered into a pond once or twice — and that she called JSO about it.

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