Two sisters, ages 5 and 8, drowned after entering the pool of a home in Pensacola, Florida, in an incident that authorities describe as an accidental tragedy.

The minors, whose identity has not been released, were found unconscious on Monday at a residence located on Gerhardt Drive. Emergency crews responded to the scene and performed resuscitation maneuvers on them before transporting them to a hospital, where both were declared dead.

During a press conference held on Tuesday and reviewed by WEAR-TV, Pensacola Police Chief Eric Winstrom explained that the preliminary investigation indicates that the older sister had gained access to the property by scaling a fence before allowing the minor to enter through a gate.

A swimming pool with security measures

According to the authorities, the home had multiple protection measures.

“Not only did they have a privacy fence around the backyard, but they also had a specific fence around the pool to keep small children out,” Winstrom explained.

The official noted that the owners of the home were not at home at the time of the incident and described the place as a patio that met the security measures expected for a residence with a swimming pool.

Although the exact circumstances remain under investigation, police have a hypothesis about what happened.

Winstrom raised the possibility that the 5-year-old girl fell into the water and began to have difficulty staying afloat, which would have motivated her older sister to try to rescue her.

“It is very possible that the 8-year-old girl lost her life trying to save her younger sister, who was a less experienced swimmer,” he said.

The authorities clarified that this possibility is part of the lines of investigation and has not yet been officially confirmed.

They were seen before the incident

Police reported that several witnesses observed the girls walking around the neighborhood about an hour before they were found in the pool.

For investigators, this information helps rule out other hypotheses related to criminal acts.

“There is no indication that anyone took them to the pool or attempted to kidnap them,” Winstrom said.

The police chief indicated that, based on the information collected so far, he does not expect criminal charges to be filed.

“All the adults involved in this incident did the right thing and it still ended in tragedy,” he stated.

However, he specified that the investigation remains open and that authorities are still awaiting the results of the autopsies to determine exactly the circumstances of the deaths.