Family warns others to be careful, know CPR after 11-year-old girl nearly drowns in Moreno Valley

MORENO VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- The family of an 11-year-old girl who nearly drowned want to share their story as a cautionary tale to others who will be celebrating with pool parties over the summer.

Ally Hatch returned home Monday, only five days after she nearly lost her life in the pool. Last Wednesday, she was swimming at her grandparents' house in Moreno Valley.

Several minutes went by before her older sister realized Ally was at the bottom of the pool.

"She wasn't really breathing and she had her eyes open. I was absolutely terrified and I just kept on telling myself she's not going to die, she's not going to die," Ivy Hatch said.

Their mother, Tiffany, said she heard Ivy screaming and saw Ally at the bottom of the pool. Tiffany Hatch jumped into the pool to pull Ally out and their grandfather came out so they could perform CPR on Ally.

The family said Ally is a strong swimmer, but want people to know that every minute counts when someone is underwater and knowing CPR is vital.

Ally was placed in a medically induced coma for three days. She woke up in a hospital bed on Friday and there isn't much she can remember of the day she nearly drowned.

"I couldn't imagine anything like this," Ally said. "I don't remember anything that happened in the pool. All I remember was in the hospital."

She still coughs up fluid. Her family said between the time of them doing CPR to when paramedics arrived, Ally was possibly unconscious for 6 to 10 minutes.

"It was just a mother's worst nightmare - a parent's worst nightmare. I thought, 'God, please don't take my baby," Tiffany said.

After being taken to a hospital, unconscious and on life support, Ally is back home and she's back in the pool. Her family wasn't ready for it, but they're grateful she is back to being a kid.