Police investigating drowning of boy, 4, in Westboro

WESTBORO, Mass. (WHDH) -- A 4-year-old boy died after falling into a swimming pool at the Park Village West Residences in Westboro on Sunday.

Officials said the boy pushed out a screened window and walked away from his family’s first-floor apartment Sunday evening. The pool is surrounded by a 6-foot gate that was locked. Investigators are still trying to determine how the child got into the water.

The District Attorney's office says family members reported the boy missing around 5 p.m. Sunday. The boy is non-verbal and Autistic, according to officials.

“What they did locate was a cordless phone that the child had taken from the apartment and that was found near the pool area along with outside of the pool area was the child’s diaper,” said Chief Alan Gordon of the Westboro police department.

The child was found around 5:30 p.m. in the murky pool water. The visibility in the pool was less than 2 feet.

“It was just a horrible end when they let us know they had found him in the pool,” said Sharon Hnderson-Jones. “The family of course is devastated. She has seven -- she had seven -- she has six. She had five boys and two girls and he somehow got away from the family and just -- just a horrible thing to happen on Mother’s Day.”

Officials continue to investigate the death of the boy. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.