Coroner IDs sisters, babysitter who drowned in Pueblo pool
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Calling it a "very, very horrible tragedy," Pueblo police confirmed two little girls and their teenage babysitter drowned at a mobile home park pool.
The coroner has identified the victims as 3-year-old Azucena Gandarilla, 6-year-old Amaya Gandarilla, and Joo Lee, 17.
Officers responded to the Pueblo Grande Village mobile home park just after 2 p.m. Monday. The mobile home park is located near Fortino Boulevard and Elizabeth Street on the city's north side.
Residents told 11 News they're devastated.
"She's taking it really to heart," Marianna Lefebre said of her grandmother, who lives at the park and had just been swimming 45 minutes earlier. "You just never think that this could happen in your own community...it's always been safe. There's always people. There's always a bunch of people in there."
Officers that responded to the scene were equally distraught, Pueblo police Sgt. Eric Gonzales told 11 News.
"We have some officers that are having a hard time with it. ... Anytime you come across anything like this -- dealing with death is a tough situation."
Police are still trying to piece together what happened. Gonzales didn't have information on the pool's depth, but Lefebre said it begins at 3 feet, slopes to 5 feet, then becomes 8 feet at its deepest end. It's unknown what end of the pool the victims were in. The pool is located outside.
Neighbors, and later, officers, tried to resuscitate the three girls.
"Despite CPR efforts by officers and others, in an attempt to revive the victims, the three were later pronounced dead by the coroner’s office," the police department said in a statement Monday afternoon.
A sign posted by the pool says there's no lifeguard on duty.
Police said the investigation was ongoing. The mobile home park said it had "no comment" about the incident.
The young girls reportedly lived at Pueblo Grande Village; however, it's unclear where the teen lived.
The family has set-up a
to help with funeral costs for the two sisters, which has already raised nearly $3,000, as of Tuesday evening.