Chaparral Middle School Student Drowns In Wet ‘N Wild Pool

ANTHONY, Texas — An end-of-the-year celebration turned deadly for a Borderland teenager on Friday.

A 14-year-old Chaparral Middle School student died afterbeing found at the bottom of a pool at Wet ‘n Wild Waterworld, El Paso County Sheriff’s officials said.

The Sheriff’s Office identified the boy as Eric Saldana of Arch Angelway in Chaparral, New Mexico.

Lifeguards said he was found at the bottom of the volcano pool just inside the park. Wet ‘n Wild officials said lifeguards immediately pulled him from the water and began CPR.

The Anthony Police Department, West Valley firefighters, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Officeand Life Ambulance responded to the scene about 11 a.m.

Rescue crewscontinued to performCPR in the ambulance on the way to Providence Hospital, but it wasn’t enough to save the boy. Saldana was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Saldana, an eighth-grade student, andabout 50 other students from Chaparral Middle School took the end-of-the-year field trip to the park. Several coaches, teacher and an assistant principal were chaperons, Gadsden superintendent Cynthia Nava said.

Students from Gadsden, Chaparral, Socorro and El Paso school districts wereat the park for end-of-year celebrations.

“He said he couldn’t wait to get wet, to go on the rides, to go on the Screamer and the volcano,” said Veronika Reyes, one of Saldana’s friends. “It was a big end-of-the-year thing and he really wanted to attend.”

Kindra Johnson said she had known Saldana since elementary school, adding she “had lost her best friend.”

Kimberly Franco said Eric had been her friend since they were little.The news of his death broke her heart.

The Sheriff’s Office isinterviewing lifeguards, witnesses andSaldana’s parentsas part of theinvestigation intothe drowning.Sheriff’s officials said the death was likely due to the boy’s inexperience as a swimmer, though no further details were released.

Water rides at Wet ‘n Wild were closed Friday afternoon, but park officials saidthe parkwill be up and running and open to the public on Saturday.

Gadsden ISD officials said students were immediately bussed back to the school following the accident. The district’s trauma unit of nurses and psychologists was mobilized immediately, and counselors will also be available on Monday morning.

Nava and deputy superintendent Efren Yturralde said they went to Providence Hospital themselves to comfort the victim’s family.