Johannesburg – A 2-year-old toddler drowned and her 5-year-old sister was in a serious condition after they were found in a townhouse complex swimming pool on Friday afternoon.

ER24 spokesperson, Werner Vermaak, said paramedics had attended to the incident in Northriding, Johannesburg at approximately 15:45 on Friday afternoon.

He said when paramedics arrived, they found a woman, believed to be the mother of the children, performing CPR on the 2-year-old.

“It is understood that a 2 and 5-year-old, both girls, were found by other children in the communal swimming pool of the complex,” said Vermaak.

Vermaak said the woman had initiated CPR on both children before paramedics arrived, and that the 5-year-old girl was in a serious condition when paramedics arrived.

“They continued with CPR on the 2-year-old and rushed her, along with the 5-year-old, to a nearby hospital,”” he said.

Vermaak said the 2-year-old was declared dead shortly after arrival at hospital.

He said the exact circumstances surrounding the incident was not yet known.