MARGATE, FLA. (WSVN) - A day after a toddler boy drowned at his family’s backyard pool in Margate, the boy’s grandfather is speaking out about the heartbreaking discovery.
The toddler was identified as Legend Love.
“He’s a sweet boy, nice friendly playful,” said Anthony Johnson, Legend’s grandfather.
Anthony spoke to 7News, Wednesday.
“I was sleeping, I didn’t see any screaming,” Anthony said.
The grandfather was home when his grandson drowned.
“When I ran out, the lady had the baby, the caregiver had the baby, and carried out the baby and she was crying, so I took the baby, tried to get inside and then laid him down on the table, then I called 911,” he said.
Anthony said he came home from work early because he wasn’t feeling well. When he got home, he laid down to get some rest.
He thought Legend was being watched by the family’s caretaker, who was the only other adult at the home.
“She thought the kid was with me in my room,” Anthony said. “That’s what she said. She thought he was me but he wasn’t with me. It looks like, I don’t know, she got distracted.”
Anthony said he didn’t hear Legend go into his room, which has access to the backyard pool.
“I didn’t hear nothing. The child already goes through the main door. He never got out,” he said. “For some reason, he go in my room and I don’t know how he opened that door but he opened and he got out.”
The grandfather would then wake up to tragedy.
“He wasn’t responding,” he said. “I pumped him like two times.”
Legend’s mother, Shakiera Johnson Love, could not bear the loss of her son.
7News cameras captured the screams of the heartbroken mother as she learned of the tragic news.
Love works at Broward Health Coral Springs and was at the hospital when her son was transported to the ER.
“She didn’t have any idea till, I think, she got a call that there was an emergency with the baby,” said Antonio Johnson, Legend’s uncle. “It was her actual child coming there.”
It remains unknown how Legend ended up in the pool or how long he was in there.
All day on Wednesday, family, friends, and neighbors shared their condolences and dropped off flowers to the family.
“You just have to be there with them all the time,” Anthony said. “It’s not just the pool, they can put stuff in their mouth, they can use stuff to harm themselves because they are active and that kid was active.”
A grandfather will now always remember his grandson as the light of his life and his family’s.
“He’s a nice kid, man. He makes himself happy,” he said. “He knows how to play by himself and make himself happy. It’s a big loss for me.”
7News cameras captured Love’s family putting balloons and flowers on the front lawn of their home.
“We all miss him right now,” said Anthony.
At least 97 children in Florida drowned last year, eight in Broward County. Leaving behind devasting families like Legend’s.
“I’ve never been through anything like this before,” said Antonio. “I wish it didn’t went like that and there was a different outcome.”
A GoFundMe was created by the family to help cover the funeral expenses. If you’d like to donate, click here.
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