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08/06/2016 12:00 AM

Despite Rescue Efforts, Man Drowns in East Haven Condo Pool


A 39 year-old man swimming with his young son was found unresponsive in the deep end of a Foxon condominium swimming pool last night and, despite efforts of police and medical personnel, died this morning Yale-New Haven Hospital.

Police, responding to a 5:43 p.m.911 call from an unknown caller, found John Vitali unresponsive at the bottom of the Birches condominium complex swimming pool. He was pulled from the water by two individuals and an East Haven Police Department officer began chest compressions until East Haven Fire Department personnel arrived soon after and performed CPR on Vitali until an AMR ambulance arrived to transport him to Yale-New Haven Hospital. Vitali was pronounced dead at 8:31 a.m. this morning.

According to the Police Department, there was no lifeguard on duty, but a pool attendant was assigned to the pool area during the incident. The attendant advised officers on scene that Vitali arrived at the pool with his young son and she observed the two playing near the deep end of the pool. As the two were playing, the attendant reported observing Vitali underwater for an extended period of time. The attendant advised officers that she was unable to remove Vitali from the pool so she instructed her son to call 911 from the clubhouse phone. The caller stated the male victim was underwater for “two minutes,” then hung up without providing further information.