PORT JERVIS – A local man who drowned in a backyard pool lost his life while trying to save his son, Port Jervis Police said Tuesday.
Pawud Pratt of Port Jervis, 39, had been invited by the Sussex Street homeowner to come for a swim at 4:30 p.m. He and his two children arrived early and entered the backyard.
The investigation determined the homeowner was upstairs in his office on the phone at the time. He advised the person he was talking to that company had arrived and he was ending the call to gather swimming things and life jackets for the kids.
The homeowner told police that he heard a splash from his office and looked out the window to see the oldest child struggling in the deep end. It is believed that Pratt then immediately jumped in to try to save this oldest child, as the homeowner ran downstairs to help.
Police said as the homeowner entered the pool area, he reported both children and Pratt were in the pool. The youngest was in the shallow end. He then dove in and pulled the child from the deep end of the pool, figuring Pratt was right behind him. As he looked back, he saw Pratt at the bottom of the deep end.
The homeowner struggled to pull Pratt from the water, but at the same time the oldest child had gone back into the deep end again. At one point, the homeowner had both Pratt and the child in his arms, struggling to save them.
While the homeowner was able to get the child out of the pool, a neighbor heard a call for help and was able to help the homeowner pull Pratt from the water. They began CPR and called 911. He later died.
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