Boy, 2, Dies After Drowning In Neighbor’s Pool: Deputies

PALM HARBOR, FL — The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the Wednesday night drowning death of a 2-year-old Palm Harbor boy.

According to the agency, Robert Kibitlewski, 2, and his grandmother, Janice Kibitlewski, 48, went outside their home Wednesday evening to get the mail. Janice, authorities say, lost sight of Robert while outside the home in the 3000 block of Sugar Bear Trail.

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Realizing the boy was gone, Janice went into the home and spoke with Robert’s mother, Rachelle Kibitlewski, 26, an email from the sheriff’s office said. Rachelle told her mother, Robert never came inside.

Family members began searching for Robert, deputies say, and called the sheriff’s office about 15 minutes later at 6:12 p.m. July 12.

“As deputies were arriving, Janice found Robert unresponsive and floating in a neighbor’s pool,” the email said. Janice pulled her grandson from the pool in the 3000 block of Windridge Oaks Drive and performed CPR until first responders arrived, the email said.

Robert was taken to Mease Countryside Hospital with life-threatening injuries. He was pronounced dead at 6:57 p.m. Wednesday, the sheriff’s office said.

The drowning is believed to be accidental, authorities say.

No further information is available at this time.

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