West Newbury Drowning Victim Identified As Two-Year-Old Girl

WEST NEWBURY (CBS) -- The Essex District Attorney's office identified the toddler who drowned in Mill Pond on Sunday as a two-and-a-half-year-old Amesbury girl.

Elizabeth Dayter had recently moved to Amesbury and was visiting family friends in West Newbury Sunday.

Police said the circumstances of her death are still under investigation, but that her drowning was not considered suspicious.

"This is a terrible tragedy for our community," West Newbury Police Chief Art Reed said. "On behalf of the entire town of West Newbury, I offer my most sincere condolences to the family of Elizabeth Dayter."

West Newbury Police and EMS responded to a report that a child had fallen into the pond around 12:48 p.m. Sunday.

West Newbury Sergeant Jeffrey Durand and Officer Eric Forni attempted CPR on Dayter, who had been pulled from the pond, upon arrival.

Dayter was taken to Anna Jacques Hospital in Newburyport, where she was pronounced dead.

In a statement released Sunday night, Fire Chief Michael Dwyer said, "This has been a sad day for our community and for our first responders."

"Tragically, and despite the best efforts of our highly trained medical personnel, we later learned that the child did not survive," said the fire chief.