3-year-old wanders from backyard, dies after being found in country club pond, cops say

A 3-year-old boy died a day after he was found in a pond at a country club near his home, Oklahoma police say.

The boy wandered away from the backyard of his home and was reported missing at 4:12 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, according to the Bartlesville Police Department.

Just before 5 p.m., Bartlesville police officers discovered the boy “fully submerged” in a pond at Hillcrest Country Club, police said. The country club is adjacent to the boy’s residence.

He was taken to a hospital, where police initially said he was in “a very difficult situation” with “a lot to overcome,” according to Fox 23.

Police said the boy died Wednesday, April 17. He was identified by KWTV as Liam Rowland.

It’s unclear what led to the boy getting out of his backyard. Police told Fox 23 there was a 50-minute window from when he was last seen to when he was found.

Bartlesville is about a 45-mile drive north of Tulsa.

This story was originally published April 17, 2024 at 12:59 PM with the headline "3-year-old wanders from backyard, dies after being found in country club pond, cops say."