3-year-old dies after falling into neighbor’s septic tank in Washington state

A 3-year-old Washington boy died Sunday after falling into his neighbor’s septic tank, according to local authorities.

The incident happened in Lakewood, Washington, about 40 miles southwest of Seattle.

The 3-year-old was in the backyard playing with his 4-year-old brother and a 6-year-old neighbor on Sunday, said Sgt. Darren Moss Jr. from the sheriff’s office in Pierce County.

Moss said in the statement that “an adult was in and out of the house with” the children.

At some point, the 3-year-old removed the lid to a neighbor’s septic tank and fell in. His brother, the 4-year-old, went inside and told their grandmother, who called 911, the sheriff’s office confirmed to USA TODAY.

Firefighters and deputies responded to the scene at 2:21 p.m. that day and about 45 minutes later, the child was taken out of the septic tank and pronounced dead, the sheriff’s office said.

According to Moss, from the sheriff’s office, the fire department had to pump the tank, which measures 7 feet deep and was about 4 to 5 feet full when the boy fell in. Once the tank had been pumped, the boy was pulled out.

When asked about potential charges, the sheriff’s office said no charges have been referred to prosecutors. 

The medical examiner will give the child’s official cause of death, but the office wrote that the child likely drowned.

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY’s NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Follow her on Twitter at @SaleenMartin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.