Toddler dies after apparently falling into Northern Colorado irrigation ditch

A toddler has died after apparently falling into an irrigation ditch in Northern Colorado. It happened on Tuesday evening in the Fort Collins area near the 3100 block of North County Road 19.

Larimer County officials said the ditch runs behind homes and is fed by the Cache la Poudre River.

The sheriff's office is working to determine exactly what happened before the boy wound up in water. First responders arrived at the scene on a report of a child falling into the actively flowing ditch. A neighbor wound up finding the child in the waterway and performed CPR on him. He was declared dead after being taken to the hospital.

Undersheriff Joe Shellhammer said "Our hearts are heavy today for this family and everyone who knew this little boy."

"This is a really tough one. Sudden loss is never easy, but losing a child is especially hard," he said in a news release.

The name of the child and his exact age hasn't been released.

Emergency responders say the toddler's death is a tragic reminder of how dangerous the water is, especially at this time of year when peak water flows are being recorded.

Another child also died in Colorado in a waterway on Tuesday. That happened in Boulder County not far from Lyons, and the child was 4.

Police and fire rescue experts say this is also serves a reminder to always wear personal flotation devices in and around rivers, creeks, ditches and lakes.