Phoenix Fire: Boy drowns after getting stuck in tarp

PHOENIX — An 11-year-old boy has died after becoming stuck in a backyard pool.

Phoenix Police Department Sgt. Steve Martos said Ivan Nunez, described as a good swimmer, entered the above-ground pool and attempted to remove the plastic cover.

The boy somehow became stuck, and his 10-year-old brother was unable to help before his 15-year-old brother was able to remove him from the pool. Nunez was flown to a nearby pediatrics hospital, where he later died.

Martos said the boy may have become entangled in the pool’s cover.

Phoenix Fire Capt. Ruben Saavedra said the incident took place near 107th Avenue and Buckeye at approximately 2:40 p.m..

Authorities are still investigating, but Saavedra said it appears to be an accident.

“It appears that the child was swimming back there with some siblings and some type of circumstances happened where the siblings went in and notified the adult — the stepfather — that something was going on,” he said. “The stepfather pulled him out of the pool, found him unresponsive and began the CPR.”