Police investigating drowning of three-year-old child at provincial park

An Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) patch is seen in Ottawa, on Sept. 29, 2024 (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press).

Ontario Provincial Police say they are investigating after a three-year-old child drowned at a provincial park on Thursday.

Police say officers were sent to Sandbanks Provincial Park at around 5:30 p.m. after a toddler went missing while playing with family members in a shallow area of water.

They say bystanders found the child before emergency services arrived and transported the child to hospital.

Police say first responders attempted life-saving efforts but the child was pronounced dead.

They say the child’s identity is not being released out of respect for the family.

OPP say they are raising awareness for drowning prevention this week as the number of drownings in eastern Ontario this year is more than double what it was by this time in 2024.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 25, 2025.

The Canadian Press