6-year-old boy drowns in pool at day camp in New Jersey

An investigation is underway after a 6-year-old boy drowned in a pool at a camp in New Jersey.

It happened around 2 p.m. Monday while the child was at Liberty Lake Day Camp off Florence Columbus Road in Mansfield Twp.

In a letter to families, the owner and director of the camp, Andy Pritikin, said a lifeguard found the boy unresponsive in a shallow pool.

Staff members immediately pulled the child out of the water and administered CPR, but the boy was pronounced dead at the hospital.

The Burlington County Prosecutor's Office said an autopsy will be performed on Tuesday.

It was the first day of camp for the summer. Camp officials say the boy was in the freshman division, which means he was going into their first or second grade.

This is a camp where hundreds of kids come each summer and many are bused from other areas.

"We are absolutely devastated and heartbroken. Our thoughts at this most difficult time are with our camper's family, friends and loved ones - and we are respecting their privacy at this time," Pritikin said in the letter.

A licensed clinical social worker who works exclusively with children is helping campers through this difficult time.

"The safety and well-being of our campers and staff is our number one priority. We have three registered nurses on staff, 25 lifeguards certified in first aid/CPR/AED, and the Mansfield First Aid Squad located just down the street. Our goal is always to do everything possible to the best of our abilities to protect the campers and staff in our care," Pritkin's letter reads.

The camp was operating as normal on Tuesday.

Pritikin declined an interview through a spokesperson on Tuesday. The spokesperson told WABC-TV's sister station Action News the camp is reviewing their safety protocols and working with law enforcement.

Pritikin has owned the camp since the early 2000s.

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