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Family identifies 3-year-old girl who drowned in lake at Amelia Earhart Park in Hialeah

Detectives said the 3-year-old girl was with a family member when they somehow became separated at Amelia Earhart Park.

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Family members have identified the 3-year-old girl who drowned in a lake at a Hialeah park Saturday.

A cousin told NBC6 that Malaysia Dantzler had special needs and went to Amelia Earhart Park with a trusted family member, but the two somehow became separated, police said.

Investigators said the family member alerted Miami-Dade Park Rangers, who later found Dantzler in the water unresponsive.

Witnesses are speaking out after a toddler drowned in a Hialeah lake on Saturday.

One witness, David Socarras, claims the little girl was still alive when they pulled her from the lake.

"It was very scary for all of us," Socarras said. "We saw police carrying the girl and she was like with water coming out of her mouth, throwing up water. She was alive."

Police told NBC6 fire rescue crews performed CPR on the child and rushed her to Palmetto General Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Family members said they plan to hold a memorial at the park later this week. The family member, who was with the child at the park, is cooperating with the investigation, police said.

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