She was not breathing when taken to the hospital from the pool at the Heritage Knoll apartments, in the 5500 block of Bigger Road.
“She was never breathing on her own when they left for the hospital,” Roberts said. “There was family with her at the pool.”
A preliminary investigation suggests she had been in the water several minutes before she was discovered, Roberts said. There was no lifeguard on duty, he said, noting the investigation into the incident continues.
According to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office, the preliminary cause of death is drowning.
Raena’s family members said she had dreamed of becoming a lifeguard and they believe she may have suffered a seizure and drowned.
“She knew how to swim better than anyone else,” Raena’s aunt, Cheryl Surles, said of the Meadowdale High School student.
According to family members, Raena has been swimming since around age 5 and was certified in first aid.
Surles and the girl’s cousin, 19-year-old Sedia James, said a lifeguard is needed at the pool.
Raena’s mother, who is a lifeguard, inspired her daughter to follow in her footsteps when she finished high school, according to family members.
Raena liked to play video games and enjoyed watching the Disney Channel and the TV show “Vampire Diaries,” James said.
“She was a kind sweet little girl,” Surles said.
About the Author