A 5-year-old boy drowned at Bear Creek Lake Park in Lakewood today.
The boy’s parents called 911 around 3:30 this afternoon saying their son was missing in the area of the swim beach at Big Soda Lake, said Micki Trost, a spokeswoman for West Metro Fire Rescue. Police officers and firefighters arrived and helped in the search. But, about 15 minutes after the original call, a citizen helping in the search found the boy submerged in the water about 20 feet offshore, Lakewood police spokeswoman Stacie Oulton said.
The boy was not breathing, and paramedics performed CPR. The boy was taken to Swedish Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The boy’s name was not released.
Oulton said investigators are gathering information about what happened, but it will take several days to determine whether any criminal charges are warranted.
“We’re looking at it as a tragedy,” Oulton said, “but we do have to gather information.”
Bear Creek Lake Park encompasses both Big Soda Lake and Bear Creek Reservoir and is near C-470 and Morrison Road.
Staff writer John Ingold can be reached at 720-929-0898 or jingold@denverpost.com.
