LOWELL, Mass. — UPDATE Aug. 22, 6 p.m.: The District Attorney tells FOX25 the girl's condition has improved but she remains in the hospital. The young boy is still in critical condition.
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ORIGINAL STORY: Two children are in critical condition after being pulled from a pool in Lowell Saturday night.
The preschool-aged boy and girl were found unresponsive in an above-ground pool on Freda Lane during a birthday party just after 8 p.m.
The incident was breaking Saturday night on FOX25 news at 10, when police confirmed the two children had been taken to Lowell General Hospital by ambulance before being flown to Boston-area hospitals.
A next-door neighbor who asked only to be identified as Bob told FOX25's Christine McCarthy that he rushed to the aid of the little girl and began performing CPR until emergency responders arrived.
"There was a commotion next door. Somebody was calling for help. I'm a registered nurse. I went over to see if I could help. There was a little girl that required some first aid," he said. "I gave a couple of compressions. I cleared her airway. I made sure she was breathing when they got here."
Neighbors told FOX25 the family has lived in the home for many years. The children who remained in the hospital Sunday do not live there.
“I have a little one of my own, nine-years-old. So when you hear something like that, especially so close, obviously it bothers you," said John Skafidas, who said he has known the family for about 20 years. "We're all pulling for the kids."