Toddler nearly drowns after falling into water in Otter Tail County

A toddler nearly drowned in Otter Tail County on Tuesday afternoon after falling into open water, according to authorities.

The Otter Tail County Sheriff's Office said the child's mother found the one-and-a-half-year-old boy floating face down in open water near their home in rural Vergas shortly before 1 p.m.

The water, which was roughly four-and-a-half feet deep, had reportedly formed behind the remnants of a barn on their property.

The area had been dry before a recent rainfall, according to an incident summary.

According to the Sheriff's Office, the boy was initially reported to be not breathing. However, life-saving measures were administered and the child was conscious prior to being airlifted from the scene.

No further details on his medical condition were immediately provided.

According to the Sheriff's Office, the boy's mother said she'd been outside with her three young kids when she soon discovered the boy was no longer by her side.

She immediately began looking for him and discovered he'd fallen into the open water.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the leading cause of death of children between the ages of one and four.

The CDC's tips to prevent drowning can be found here .