Girl, 21 months old, drowns in trough on family's farm in Hammond

HAMMOND — A 21-month-old girl drowned Wednesday night in a trough on her family's County Route 6 farm, state police said.

Sarah D. Zook was near a barn about 7:30 p.m. with her five siblings and her parents when she reportedly wandered off, troopers said. The family was milking cows outside of the barn. A sibling found the toddler in the trough inside the barn a few minutes after they noticed she was missing.

Her father, Daniel J., pulled her out of the trough and began administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation, troopers said. Her mother, Mary P., flagged down a passing motorist, who used his cell phone about 7:40 p.m. to call emergency dispatchers.

The girl, born Nov. 2, 2008, was taken by a Hammond Rescue Squad ambulance to Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center, Ogdensburg, where she was pronounced dead.

St. Lawrence County Coroner June H. Wood ruled the death an accidental drowning after an autopsy Thursday.