2 Children Fight For Life Following Murrieta Backyard Pool Tragedy

MURRIETA, CA — Two young siblings found unresponsive in a Murrieta backyard pool Friday morning with their grandmother continue to battle for their lives while the community rallies to raise funds for the family.

Nathan Evans, 1, and Olivia Evans, 2, remain hospitalized Monday, and their parents are asking that the community pray as the children undergo extensive medical treatment.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe page has been established on behalf of Brad and Caitlin Evans to help cover their kids' medical bills and funeral costs for the children's grandmother.

As of Monday afternoon, the page had raised $19,360 for the Murrieta family.

"Our hearts are absolutely broken over the tragic loss of Patti Blaser and the current critical condition of both Evans children," Chelcee Howard wrote on the GoFundMe page she said she posted for the family. "This campaign is to help cover funeral expenses, medical bills and for use as needed by the family as they vigilantly stay at the bedside of their children. The family appreciates your support and requests privacy at this time."

The tragic pool incident was reported at 11:31 a.m. Friday when the Murrieta Police Department's Communications Center received a 911 call about a possible drowning at a residence in the 23000 block of Spring Meadow Drive. According to the caller, who was not publicly identified by police, the children and an elderly woman were found unresponsive in the home's pool.

When police officers and Murrieta Fire & Rescue paramedics arrived, they found Brad Evans and a neighbor performing CPR on the children.

The 65-year-old woman was pulled from the water; despite life-saving efforts, she died at the scene, the Murrieta Police Department reported. According to the GoFundMe page, her name was Patti Blaser, mother of Caitlin and maternal grandmother of the children.

The children were transported to a local hospital in critical condition. On Monday, Caitlin pleaded with the community via social media, "Please continue to cry out to our savior that he will heal our babies. They were both baptized today and many of our doctors and nurses have been praying with us."

Over the weekend the Murrieta Police Department announced that its detectives and a deputy coroner from the Riverside Sheriff’s Department assumed the investigation.

"Detectives regularly respond to these types of calls to investigate if a crime occurred and to conduct follow-up investigations. This investigation is ongoing," Murrieta police reported. "Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective Reid Leitch at 951-461-6353 or Sergeant Miguel Garcia at 951-461-6362."

Further information from police about Friday's incident was not available.

GoFundMe is a Patch promotional partner.