Coroner identifies 3-year-old found in family swimming pool

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - The Dorchester County Coroner has identified a 3-year-old who was found dead in a swimming pool at her residence Tuesday night.

Adalyn Blackburn was found at the bottom of an in-ground swimming pool behind her home around 9:45 p.m. after the pool was drained by search and rescue officials, Dorchester County Coroner Paul Brouthers said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The investigation began at 4:45 p.m. when deputies responded to Kette Creek Road off Highway 78 for a missing juvenile.

A report states that the 3-year-old was reported to have been missing 15 to 20 minutes when the 911 call was made.

Sheriff’s deputies were then joined in the search by Dorchester County Fire Rescue, Dorchester County EMS, Charleston County Sheriff’s Office K-9 and Air 1, South Carolina DNR, and an FBI task force.

Lt. Rick Carson said one of the first places checked by divers was the pool.

The pool was extremely overgrown, filled with black water and algae; it was not until the pool was almost completely drained that searchers found the child at the bottom of the deep end of the pool, Carson said.

Searchers said they found the child deceased in the family swimming pool at 9:47 p.m.

“This is an active investigation by the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office and the Dorchester County Coroner’s Office,” the sheriff’s office said.

An autopsy is scheduled for Friday morning at the Medical University of South Carolina.

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