A 1-year-old boy drowned Friday afternoon in a bathtub inside a Santa Maria apartment.
The Santa Maria Police Department received a call for assistance about 1:30 p.m. from the apartment in the 200 block of East Tunnel Street. Medical personnel arrived and found the child unresponsive.
He was transported by ambulance to Marian Medical Center, but hospital staff was unable to revive him.
Police say it appears the drowning occurred in an upstairs bathtub while an adult caring for the child was downstairs. The caretaker made the call to 9-1-1.
An autopsy is expected to be done early next week, police said.
— Noozhawk managing editor Michelle Nelson can be reached at mnelson@noozhawk.com.