Ralph Knowles, 5, and his sister, Sharon Knowles, 7, reported missing Sunday
(Long Island, NY) Two Central Islip children were found dead at the bottom of a neighbor’s pool after being reported missing by their mother on Sunday, Suffolk County police said.
Ralph Knowles, 5, and his sister, Sharon Knowles, 7, were reported as missing from their Naples Avenue home in Central Islip by their mother in a phone call placed to 911 at approximately 3:29 p.m. Sunday afternoon. Police responded and began an immediate search of the area, according to authorities.
The mother had enlisted the assistance of neighbors and local community members approximately an hour earlier once she had first noticed the children were missing; after their search proved unfruitful, the authorities were summoned an hour later.
After conducting an exhaustive search conducted by officers from multiple police precincts, including canine units and a helicopter, Police found the two children submerged in an uncovered 4-foot deep pool located in the backyard of a home at 112 Half Mile Road, according to reports.
The brother and sister were both fully clothed in the pool, which was filled with murky, black water, and were raced to Southside Hospital, where they were both pronounced dead on arrival.
Police are calling the deaths an apparent drowning, but indicated that the matter is under investigation.
