Boy who drowned at Minneapolis' North Commons Park is identified

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office has identified the boy who fell into the pool at North Commons Park on June 4 and died four days later.

Mubashir Hussein Aden, age 12, died June 8 from "complications of freshwater drowning," according to the Medical Examiner's Office.

Minneapolis park police officer Allie Simonett, who pulled Mubashir out of the pool, said she and her partner, Zebariah Hursh, weren't expecting an emergency situation when they received the initial call. It was Simonett's first day on the job, and the call came within the first hour of her shift.

"The initial call came out as a check for welfare," Simonett said. "I was just thinking it was going to be two boys that climbed the fence and were playing in the pool."

One boy was sitting by the edge of the pool when they arrived. Simonett said the boy pointed to a second boy in the water, and told the officers that his friend was drowning. Simonett immediately called for an ambulance, then jumped into the pool in full uniform.

"I don't think there was any hesitation; I knew that I was going to jump in the pool to get him," Simonett said.

After pulling Mubashir out of the water, she couldn't find the boy's pulse. Hursh began CPR.

"My heart just goes out to the family," Simonett said.

She has not been in contact with the family yet out of respect for their privacy.

"It's a tragic situation, and it's going to stick with me my whole career," she said. "I know that I did everything that I could and that unfortunately it didn't turn out the way I would have liked."

Maya Miller • 612-673-7086