South Lafourche mourns loss of 1-year-old lost to drowning accident

No More Snapper…at least for now
July 4, 2018
Turf work continues in Lafourche
July 5, 2018
No More Snapper…at least for now
July 4, 2018
Turf work continues in Lafourche
July 5, 2018

A 1-year-old boy died on Monday afternoon after drowning in a swimming pool on June 30, 2018.

Riley Bourgeois, of Mathews, was pronounced dead at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans after an incident in the neighbor’s pool. 

Just around 7:30 p.m. on June 30, LPSO deputies were called to a residence in the 200 block of Superior Drive in Mathews in reference to a boy drowning in a pool. 


Deputies, local firefighters and a Trooper from Louisiana State Police arrived on the scene and rushed to the child’s location where a bystander was already administering CPR.

Deputies took over CPR efforts after arriving at the scene, while waiting for an ambulance. 

The boy was then airlifted to Children’s Hospital in New Orleans for treatment where he was in critical condition until he died on Monday. 


Authorities investigated the incident and learned that Bourgeois and his family were attending an event at a neighbor’s residence. Bourgeois had been playing with a friend. 

At one point, adults began searching for the little boy and noticed that he was at the bottom of the neighbor’s swimming pool. The pool area was fenced in, but surveillance video showed the little boy was able to open a gate to the fence to gain access to the swimming pool area. The boy was 1. He was set to turn 2 on July 8. 

After Bourgeois’ incident, the Lafourche Parish community rallied around he and his family, swarming them in prayer with posts on social media. 


In his passing, the wave of prayers has continued and his family has thanked the community for their thoughts in the time of need.

Riley Bourgeois