Toddler Drowns In El Reno Lake

A child found wandering alone at a campground led police to the scene of a drowning.

Officers pulled 2-year-old Kemper Shropshire from Lake El Reno just after 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday. El Reno Police Chief Ken Brown says a campground near the water's edge was a temporary home for the child and his family.

"Anytime you are dealing with a tragic event with a child, and especially a small child, it really hits home," said Brown.

Brown tells News 9 Kemper Shropshire and his 6-year-old sibling were living in a car with their parents. In the middle of the night, the children somehow wandered off.

Someone in the RV West Park spotted the 6-year-old child and called police. When officers arrived they found the child and then the parents. That's when they discovered the 2 year old in the water.

Officers attempted to give the child CPR and he was eventually transferred to Mercy-El Reno where he was later pronounced dead.  

Brown said the community is now working to help the family find temporary housing.