A three-year-old girl drowned in a swimming pool at a residence Whitfield County on Sunday afternoon.
At 12:59 p.m., the Whitfield County 911 Center received a call regarding a missing child at 4870 South Dixie Highway. The Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to the location and met with the child’s father, Russell Treat, and the homeowner, Dondi Anderson.
They said that Karina Anabelle Treat had been missing from the residence for around 45 minutes. Officers began searching for the child and called in assistance to help in the search.
Whitfield County Fire, Dalton City Fire, Georgia State Patrol, and other agencies responded and started searching the area. A pond and a swimming pool are on the property.
The in-ground swimming pool was very cloudy and searchers could only see around three feet from the top of the water. They had to use nets to search the bottom of the pool. While searching the pool other personnel were searching the pond and surrounding area.
Around 3 p.m., the deceased child was located in the deep end of the pool in around six feet of water.
Investigators determined the father and Mr. Anderson are relatives and the father had taken the child to the Anderson home with him while he visited. The mother of the child was at work.
While at the residence the father noticed the child missing and started looking for the child. When they were unable to locate the child they called the 911 Center.
An autopsy will be conducted. The Coroner’s Office is assisting in the investigation.