Junction Pond drowning ruled an accident

A 6-year-old boy from Linden who was visiting a friend was found dead in an in-ground swimming pool.

By: Paul Koepp
   A party turned tragic Sunday afternoon when a boy celebrating his 6th birthday drowned in the swimming pool of a Monmouth Junction residence.
   The death of Dominic Gullo, of Linden, was ruled an accident, police said Monday.
   "This is an accident with tragic consequences," said police Chief Raymond Hayducka. "Our hearts go out to Dominic’s family and friends, and to all the rescuers and neighbors who tried to save him."
   The police investigation of the accident at a Junction Pond Lane residence determined that although Dominic was wearing a flotation vest for most of the party, which was attended by 11 adults and three children, he took it off at one point to go to the bathroom.
   He then had some food after returning to the deck area of the in-ground pool, and about 15 to 20 minutes later, people at the party noticed he was missing, police said.
   After failing to find Dominic inside the house or in the surrounding area, one person at the party saw him at the bottom of the deep end of the pool, seven feet down, and jumped in to pull him out, police said.
   According to police, the pool’s dark liner may have made it difficult to see the boy, who they believe may have been attempting to retrieve a pair of goggles at the bottom of the pool near where he was found.
   A neighbor who had heard screams started to perform CPR, and a police officer who was one block away responded to the scene within a minute of a 911 call and continued rescue efforts, police said.
   According to police, the Monmouth Junction First Aid Squad and paramedics transported Dominic to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where he was pronounced dead at 6:28 p.m.