Eight-year-old Shrewsbury boy drowns in pool

 

 

John Harvilicz’s death by freshwater drowning was ruled accidental, according to the coroner.

(Lancaster)– An 8-year-old Shrewsbury boy drowned Saturday in a Lancaster County indoor pool while attending a birthday party, county Coroner Dr. Stephen Diamantoni said Monday.

Diamantoni said the cause of death for John “J.J.” Harvilicz Jr. was freshwater drowning, and his manner of death was accidental.

John was a second-grade student at Shrewsbury Elementary School and a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Shrewsbury, according to his obituary. He also was entering his third year of Warrior Wrestling.

“He enjoyed watching Pokemon, playing games on his tablet, reading and writing,” it states. “He liked everything superhero…”

The boy was a guest at a birthday party at the DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Hotel, 2400 Willow Street Pike, on Saturday afternoon, the coroner said. A spokesperson for the hotel could not be reached.

The hotel’s website describes its “indoor water playground — complete with slides, dump buckets, and water sprayers. A shallow wading area features our frog slide and rainbow sprinkler. Right next to this, a twisting tube slide dumps you into a 5 1/2-foot pool with an exciting splash.”

“He entered the pool via a slide,” Diamantoni said. “I don’t believe he knew how to swim, and he drowned.”

Diamantoni said his office had concluded its investigation into the boy’s death.

Several public viewings are planned at Christ Lutheran Church in Shrewsbury: 3 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, and 1 until 2 p.m. on Friday. The funeral service is set for 2 p.m. Friday, according to the obituary.

The services will be held at the church, 105 S. Main St.

This story is part of a partnership between WITF and the York Daily Record.