A two-year-old boy drowned in a swimming pool after momentarily escaping his family’s supervision. The tragedy occurred around noon in the tourist area of Caucana, in the municipality of Santa Croce Camerina, province of Ragusa, Sicily.
The child, identified as Raffaele Sallemi, walked onto a veranda where a large above-ground pool had been set up. He then climbed the pool’s steps and fell into the water. When his family noticed his absence, they initially searched inside the house, never imagining he could have climbed into the pool. They soon discovered his body at the bottom of the pool.
They pulled him out and attempted resuscitation, but their efforts were in vain. The immediate arrival of a 118 ambulance was also unsuccessful. The ambulance was not equipped with a doctor, as the Santa Croce Camerina station does not provide this service.
Carabinieri are investigating the incident, with the inquiry being coordinated by Ragusa deputy prosecutor Santo Fornasier. Based on the findings of the coroner’s report, a decision will be made on whether to perform an autopsy. The body remains at the disposal of the magistrates and will be transferred to a local hospital morgue.
The child’s mother was not at the villa at the time of the incident and arrived after her son had died. The family, originally from Comiso, has run a well-known local olive oil business for decades. The boy’s father, Luigi, who is married to Federica La Terra Pirrè, works at the olive press with his younger brother. The business is owned by the boy’s grandfather, Raffaele Sallemi, who is also the owner of the villa in Caucana. The family was spending their summer vacation at the popular tourist location, which is near Punta Secca, famous for the Inspector Montalbano television series.
The Mayor of Comiso, Maria Rita Schembari, expressed the community’s grief, stating, “The tragedy affects our entire community. The loss of a two-year-old child demands respect and silence.” As a sign of mourning, she announced the cancellation of all scheduled events for the evening, including a summer Carnival festival.