OPP investigating drowning of 3-year-old child at Sandbanks Provincial Park

OPP officers are investigating after a three-year-old drowned at Sandbanks Provincial Park. As Nick Westoll reports, there has been a sharp increase in drownings in eastern Ontario.

By The Canadian Press

Posted July 25, 2025 10:50 am.

Last Updated July 25, 2025 2:45 pm.

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.

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