3-year-old boy found not breathing in pool by family, IL cops say. ‘Unfair’
Tragedy struck an Illinois family when a 3-year-old boy died after falling into a backyard pool, deputies said.
“Life is so unfair,” the boy’s mother, Jessica Lee, said in a Facebook post.
While his mother was out running errands, Kaseyn Clifton and his siblings were with their aunt on May 24, according to the Macon County Sheriff’s Office.
The boy was able to unlock the back door of the Decatur home without being noticed and go outside, where he fell into the pool, deputies said.
Dispatchers received a 911 call from a boy saying he found his younger brother was found in the pool and wasn’t breathing, deputies said in a May 24 news release.
The mother noticed the back door was open when she returned home from running errands after 15 minutes, according to a May 28 news release. Kaseyn was found in the pool after a search of the backyard, according to deputies.
The boy was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to deputies.
“He loved playing with blocks, doing puzzles, watching Cocomelon, blowing bubbles, playing at the park, learning his ABC’s/counting and cuddling with mommy and daddy,” his obituary said.
Deputies said no criminal charges will be filed and that the investigation has concluded.
“He was more than just a little boy he was a source of endless love, he brought sunshine to rainy days and made every moment brighter simply by being in it,” family wrote in the obituary.
Decatur is about a 180-mile drive southwest from Chicago.
This story was originally published May 29, 2025 at 2:20 PM with the headline "3-year-old boy found not breathing in pool by family, IL cops say. ‘Unfair’."
