2-year-old pulled from vacation rental pool near Crescent Beach

Toddler from Ohio in critical but stable condition, deputies say

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. – A 2-year-old boy was pulled from a swimming pool at a vacation rental near Crescent Beach late Tuesday afternoon, the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office said. 

The toddler, who's vacationing in the area with his family from Ohio, was in critical but stable condition Wednesday morning, deputies said. 

The 2-year-old, Liam Lambert, was taken to Flagler Hospital, but was later airlifted to Wolfson Children's Hospital in Jacksonville for further treatment, deputies said.

Investigators said they learned four adults and six children under the age of 11 are staying in the rental home. They said the adults were gathering the children form the pool area when Liam went into the water. Family members found him, pulled him from the pool and began CPR as they called 911.

Detectives said they did not note anything suspicious and that the incident appears to be an accident.

Neighbor Billy Hennesy said he was working on his own pool when he heard a child next door yell, "He's drowned."

"Once I saw an adult there, I didn't see any sporadic movements that you'd associate with someone drowning. I thought the kids were just playing a drown the sailor game and I walked inside, and moments later, I saw the Sheriff's Office truck pulled up," Billy Hennesy told News4Jax. "If it's a baby in diapers, you got to keep your eye on them constantly, especially with a pool. You got to be really responsible when you got a baby. I got an 18-month-old grandson and he's always in my sight."

Diane Hennesy said the near-drowning hits too close to home.

"We were here and kids were playing in the pool all week long. I mean, rain or shine they were out there playing and you just want to keep them close as can be. When you hear something like that, you don't want to let them out of your site ever," she said. 

The Sheriff's Office continues to investigate.