Duval County

Child nearly drowns in retention pond in Jacksonville’s Sandalwood area, source says

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Action News Jax is working to learn more about what happened in a Sandalwood neighborhood, where a source tells us a child nearly drowned on Tuesday afternoon in a retention pond.

One neighbor told Action News Jax’s Nick Gibson she saw the entire situation unfold.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

She said it started when she heard someone at a nearby home screaming before emergency vehicles arrived.

“I see a police car go, the ambulance, and a fire truck,” she said.

A source tells us that a near-drowning happened at a retention pond. Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office squad cars and a crime scene unit rushed to a home on Hendon Drive.

The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department said the child was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

We spoke with Pauline Lindstrom, who lives a couple doors down from where this happened. She said she’s shocked at what she witnessed.

“It makes me wonder what’s going on. Because I had a brother that drowned in our pool, but there was no crime scene. So that makes me suspicious of what is going on down there,” Lindstrom said.

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

We also saw JSO officials take pictures and what we believe to be a water sample from the retention pond. Lindstrom said she’s hopeful the child is OK.

“That child is in my prayers,” she said.

We reached out to JSO to get more information on this incident and we are waiting to hear back.

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.