GIRARD, Ohio - Back in May, 21 News reported on a toddler who was revived after he fell into a pond in a neighbor's yard. Now city leaders are looking to close a loophole in the law in order to prevent incidents like this from happening again.

Girard Councilman at Large John Moliterno tells 21 News council will be discussing an ordinance that would close a loophole in the city's residential property maintenance code involving koi ponds and other bodies of water in homeowners' yards.

As it stands, if you were to install something like a swimming pool in your yard, city law would require it to be an enclosed structure. However, there is no language in the current law requiring bodies of water like koi ponds to be enclosed.

Girard Mayor Mark Zuppo tells 21 News incidents like this should be seen as an opportunity to increase the safety of the community.

"Any time you have a tragic situation such as the one that happened with the toddler in the koi pond, you should turn that problem into an opportunity to increase the safety of the community," Mayor Zuppo said.

The first reading for this ordinance will take place during Monday's city council meeting at 7:00 p.m.

The incident occurred back in May of 2024 when a Girard police officer was called to a home on the 300 Block of East Wilson Avenue where a toddler was found unconscious after falling into a koi pond in a neighbor's yard.

You can learn more about the toddler's rescue and hear from the officer who saved his life in our related coverage below.

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