Authorities confirm that a 3-year-old boy from Washington tragically drowned after falling into a septic tank.

A 3-year-old boy from Washington died after falling into a neighbor’s septic tank while playing with his brother and a neighbor in the backyard. The incident occurred in Lakewood, Washington, about 40 miles southwest of Seattle. The boy removed the lid to the septic tank and fell in, prompting his brother to alert their grandmother, who called 911. Firefighters and deputies responded to the scene, and the child was pronounced dead after being taken out of the tank. The tank was 7 feet deep and 4 to 5 feet full when the boy fell in, requiring it to be pumped before he was removed. The sheriff’s office stated that no charges have been referred to prosecutors and the official cause of death will be determined by the medical examiner, though it is likely that the child drowned. Saleen Martin, a reporter from the NOW team at USA TODAY, covered the story and can be followed on Twitter at @SaleenMartin or contacted via email at sdmartin@usatoday.com.

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