The boy, whose name was not released, had been in critical condition at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. An autopsy will be performed on the boy’s body, said Juab County Sheriff Alden Orme.

“It’s an accidental drowning at this point,” Orme said. “It’s a sad, sad situation, and a tragic thing.”

The incident was still under investigation by the Juab County Sheriff’s Office and the state Department of Human Services’ Office of Licensing, which licenses boys homes and other residential treatment centers.

According to Orme, the boy went off a rope swing and landed in the pond. He went under water and came back up. The boy swam around for a few minutes, Orme said, then he yelled for help. The boy went back under water, resurfaced and went under again.

The group managed to get the boy to shore and performed CPR on him.

The East Juab County Ambulance, Juab County Sheriff’s Office, Nephi police and the Utah Highway Patrol responded to the scene.

The ambulance crew took over CPR and managed to get some vital signs at that point, Orme said.

Two adult staff members were on the trip, said Shawn Brooks, program director of the treatment center in Mona. One is an EMT. The other is a lifeguard. Both are CPR-certified, Brooks said.

Brooks said he doesn’t anticipate the treatment center using the pond as a place to swim again until they revise their policies on activities.

“It’s difficult for everybody involved,” Brooks said.

Justin Hill can be reached at 344-2548 or jhill@heraldextra.com.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D3.