UPDATE ON JUNE 24: Daquan Bankston, the 8-year-old boy found unresponsive at Cowabunga Bay, passed away on June 23 at 11:30 p.m., according to the Clark County Coroner.
"He was vibrant, his smile was bright," said Bankston's uncle Jerome Burks. "So young, so full of life."
Burks tells 13 Action News Bankston was set to enter the third grade at Kit Carson Elementary School and had recently been named "best reader".
Bankston was a big brother who loved reading and superheroes, according to his uncle.
His family has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for funeral expenses. Click here to donate.
Cowabunga Bay released the following statement upon news of Bankston's death:
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. Our utmost concern is the safety and enjoyment of all our guests. The circumstances of this tragic incident are being investigated and we will have further comment upon completion of the investigation."
UPDATE ON JUNE 19: The boy's uncle told 13 Action News on Monday that the boy is in a medically-induced coma at Sunrise Hospital. He also said that the boy is 8 years old and not 6 as previously reported.
ORIGINAL STORY
A lifeguard pulled an unresponsive 8-year-old boy from the wave pool at Cowabunga Bay in Henderson shortly after 6 p.m. Sunday. The lifeguard performed CPR on the child until medical personnel arrived. The child was transported to a hospital in Henderson.
Although it has been reported that a pulse was found at the hospital, the child's exact condition is unknown.
Cowabunga Bay has released following statement:
"There was a medical incident at the park tonight. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family involved, and we will provide support to the family as needed and requested. We cannot provide further details at this stage as we are in the process of investigating the incident. Please allow us the time needed to investigate the circumstances fully.” - Cowabunga Bay Management
This is not the first incident for the water park.
A 5-year-old boy named Leland nearly drowned in the wave pool in May 2015. The parents of the boy filed a lawsuit, saying Cowabunga Bay did not have enough lifeguards on staff on May 27 and the boy was under water for a "lengthy period of time." The boy suffered brain damage from the incident.
Leland's parents, Peter and Christian Gardner, issued the following statement about the near-drowning incident on Sunday:
We wish to express our deepest sympathies and sincere concern for the young boy who was involved in the near-drowning that occurred in the wave pool at Cowabunga Bay yesterday. We intend to offer our complete support to assist the child and his family members in any way as we are all too familiar with the challenges that they will face both now and in the future. We pray both the child and his family have a complete and speedy recovery from this terrible and completely preventable tragedy.
Shortly after the incident, the health district found multiple safety violations and the water park was fined. The status of the lawsuit is unknown.
RELATED: Health District approved fewer lifeguards at Cowabunga Bay
