Toddler's death ruled accidental

SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP ? The drowning of a 17-month-old boy in a pond has been ruled an accident.

Enos J. Mast, an Amish child from Springfield Township, died around 8:30 a.m. Sunday.

Mercer County Deputy Coroner Cris Loutzenhiser said the boy was playing outside with several of his siblings after his breakfast when he walked into the pond.

"He was playing and they lost track of him for five minutes," said Loutzenhiser. "They found him in a pond on the family's property."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10 people die each day from unintentional drownings that are nonboat related.

Loutzenhiser said the boy was in shallow water about two feet from the pond's edge when he was found.

"He died from asphyxia, due to a freshwater drowning," said Mercer County Corner John A. Libonati.