Family mourns toddler found unresponsive in pool

CANONSBURG, Pa. — The father of a 2-year-old boy who was found unresponsive in the family’s above-ground swimming pool Monday night in Canonsburg said family members were tending to a relative who suffered a seizure when the boy climbed into the pool on his own.

An autopsy is scheduled Tuesday on Blake Metzger, who was found by relatives around 6 p.m. and taken from the home on Richland Avenue to Canonsburg General Hospital.

Washington County coroner S. Timothy Warco said in a released that Blake Metzger was pronounced dead about 6:45 p.m.

Metzger’s father, Erik Metzger, told Channel 11’s Dave Bondy that Blake Metzger’s uncle had a seizure in the back yard, and while several family members were attending to him, Blake Metzger climbed into the pool.

“Just that quick he climbed up the ladder while they were trying to help my brother out of the seizure. They looked up and he was already in the pool and that’s how fast it happened,” Erik Metzger said.

Erik Metzger said he was at work when he received the call about the incident. He said Blake Metzger’s grandmother performed CPR, but it didn’t help.

“If I have a message for anyone, it’s that it only takes one second. Now the rest of my life I have to think about him not being here,” Erik Metzger said.

Erik Metzger said his son’s organs will be donated in hopes of helping someone else avoid the pain he’s feeling.

“My kid is gone. I can’t bring him back. But if I can help some other mom not feel my pain, then that’s what I’m going to do,” Metzger said.

The Metzger family said they immediately tore down the pool after returning home from the hospital because they couldn’t stand to look at it.

“We are really struggling right now. I never thought I’d have to bury my 2-year-old son,” Metzger said.

Canonsburg police won’t comment on the incident until the autopsy is finished.

The family has set up a fund to help pay for Blake’s funeral expenses. It’s called the Blake Metzger Fund and anyone can donate at any PNC Bank branch.

WPXI