3-Year-Old Twins Drown In Long Island Swimming Pool [UPDATED]

Three-year-old twin brothers died Wednesday after being pulled from their backyard pool in Melville, police say. Suffolk Police responded to a Holly Court home at 8:40 a.m. and found the toddlers unresponsive.

According to authorities, the mother of the children, Sue Aurillia, woke up and saw one of the boys, Nicholas Aurillia, floating in the pool. She called 911, pulled him from the water and performed CPR. When firefighters arrived at the home, the mother said she did not know the whereabouts of the boy's twin brother, Anthony. He was found in the pool by police and rescue personnel. Police say the incident appears accidental.

The twins, who were autistic, sneaked out of the home while the mother slept and their father, Patrick Aurillia, was traveling to work, NBC reports.

“Four of our members immediately went into the pool and within a few minutes after being in the pool, because there was very little visibility in the pool, they were able to locate a second child,” Melville Assistant Fire Chief David Kaplan told 1010 WINS. “That child was pulled from the pool and we began live-saving treatment on the second child also.”

The children were transported by the Melville Volunteer Fire Department to Plainview Hospital where they were pronounced dead.

A 5-year-old child in the home was unharmed, according to NBC.

“I called my husband at home and even he’s crying. When I pick up my boys, my grandsons, from camp, I’m going to give them the biggest hug,” neighbor Lamba Anu told WCBS radio. “I wish this never happened to anybody.”

Homicide Squad detectives are investigating the incident. An autopsy will be performed by the Nassau County Medical Examiner.

Town of Huntington personnel were notified to respond to assess the property for possible violations related to the pool. Police say it appears that the property was in compliance with town regulations.

Town code says all outdoor swimming pools must be enclosed by gates at least 4 feet high and no opening in the fence should be larger than 6 inches at any point. Self-closing and self-latching devices must be located at the top of the gates, and all gates must be locked whenever the pool is not in use.

According to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, there were an average of 3,536 fatal unintentional drownings (non-boating related) from 2005 to 2014; that's about 10 deaths per day.

Children ages 1 to 4 are the most at risk for drowning, and the deaths most often occur at home swimming pools, data shows. Drowning kills more children ages 1 to 4 than any other cause except congenital anomalies, the CDC says. Drowning is also the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths behind car crashes.

For every child age 14 or younger who dies from drowning, there are another five children who receive emergency care for nonfatal submersion injuries. The CDC says those who survive drowning can develop severe brain damage that may cause long-term disabilities, such as memory problems, learning disabilities and permanent loss of basic functioning.

The CDC offers these drowning prevention tips for children/parents:

Supervise—A responsible adult should watch children while they are playing in or around water. For preschool-age children, supervisors should be close enough to reach the child at all times. Adults should not be involved in any other distracting activity— like reading, playing cards, talking, or mowing the lawn— while supervising children, even if lifeguards are present.

Swimming Skills— formal swimming lessons help reduce the risk of drowning among children ages 1 to 4.

Learn Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation— CPR performed by bystanders saves lives and improves outcomes in drowning victims. The sooner CPR is started, the better chance the victim has of an improved outcome.

Secure The Area— For those with swimming pools at home, they should install a four-sided pool fence at least 4 feet high that completely separates the pool from the house and yard. There should be self-closing and self-latching gates that open outward with latches out of reach of children. Additional barriers are encouraged, such as automatic door locks and alarms to prevent access and to alert adults if someone enters the pool area. Pool owners should also clear the pool and deck of toys after use so children are not tempted to enter the pool area unsupervised.

This is a developing story.

Images of the Holly Court home via Realtor.com