An eight-year-old child is clinging to life at Broward General Medical Center after more than 10 minutes submerged in a canal behind his home.
The boy and a six-year-old friend were playing near the water behind the Tennis Court Apartments in the 700 block of Northwest 19th Street in Fort Lauderdale just before 2 p.m. Saturday.
Somehow, both of them ended up in the water -- a witness said the pair dared each other to jump in, while one boy's mother said he told her he was pushed -- but only the six-year-old resurfaced, clinging to the side wall of the canal.
Witnesses called police, and the older boy was pulled out of the canal by fire rescue after more than 10 minutes under water.
He was treated at the scene and immediately rushed to hospital, where he is being treated for life-threatening injuries.
